`Gladiolas’ humor wide awake: Play’s poignant scenes hit home
When a playbill gives as much credit to a casket as it does its stars, you know you’re in for a good time. “Amidst the Gladiolas” is a good play on two levels. While it projects genuine humor, the production also is poignant with scenes that hit home more often than not. It centers on a day in the lives of eight people at a wake. And while the premise doesn’t seem to hold much promise for laughter, the Human Medium Ensemble cleverly brings out the everyday tensions revolving around the death of a loved (or not so loved) one.