A Small Fire

Adam Bock's new play, A Small Fire, is a solid, well-acted family drama but it leaves you asking more questions than were answered as you exit the theater.  When someone starts to lose their senses - not the mental kind - i mean the actual ones - smell, taste, vision, and hearing - something is wrong.  Very wrong.  Yet we never hear more than one passing reference to a visit to the doctor!  A play that centers around a woman losing all these abilities needs to provide some sort of medical explanation. Perhaps Mr. Bock's intent was to focus on the family drama and not the medical - and I applaud him for that - but some sort of cause or possible explanation should have been at least a small part of this story.

As for the actors, although the play centers around Emily Bridges, (Michele Pawk), this play is Reed Birney's (her husband, John Bridges) to steel and he's done just that.  It's role reversal at its best.  Emily, a tough, hard as nails woman, owns and operates a construction company and seems more at ease with the boys at the site than with her own family, household chores, and femininity in general.   John is more of a homebody - a caring, meek and dependent sort of fellow.  Birney's finesse of the tender moments was sublime.  As his wife is losing her senses one at a time, he finds himself even more dedicated to her - despite the fact that if all this were not happening their marriage may have fallen apart.  Their daughter, Jenny, (Celia Keenan-Bolger), clearly emotionally damaged by the lack of motherly love over the years, is, expectedly, distant and detached.  Ms. Bolger isn't given very much to do or say but it's clear where she stands as she's about to get married and start a life of her own.  Birney's emotional description of the wedding reception scene to his wife (at that point blind) was one of the most poignant scenes in the entire play.  Overall, Ms. Pawk seemed to be a bit lost with character, but gave it her all.

On a disappointing note, Billy Fontaine's (Victor Wiliams) reason for his unwavering support for his boss, Emily, was a complete distraction.  Mr. Bock, not every play needs to have a gay sub-plot - and certainly there was a less distracting way to convey Billy's unwavering support without bringing up AIDS (and pigeons!).   And while I understand the meaning of the ending of the play (she may have lost all her senses, but she can still feel) - did we really need to see such a gratuitous sex?  In this case, less would have been more.

From a production stand-point - I have to point out the extremely well thought-out, unobtrusive and well placed sound and lighting effects.  I don't often point these more technical aspect out (or even notice them), but in this case, they added the perfect emphasis time and time again.  I assume this credit must go to David Weiner and Robert Kaplowitz.

While Mr. Bock's script may not dazzle, the acting in this 90 minute drama is top notch and well worth the price of an off-Broadway ticket over at Playwrights Horizons MainStage.

Prayer for My Enemy

Playwright Craig Lucas packs a whole lot of punch into the 1 hour and 40 minute (no intermission) off-Broadway debut of his new work, Prayer for My Enemy.  One might say  - "the kitchen sink" is even in there.   The Noone's have a plethora of problems and complications in their lives - alcoholism, an autistic child, bi-polar disorder, divorce, mild poverty, a gay (or maybe not) son, the Iraq war, and the list of personality "adjustments" that the entire family makes to accommodate all these things.   

Skipp Sudduth blurts out with certitude exactly what he thinks and feels  - about his son, the Iraq war, the failings of his life, and so much more - he's the alcoholic one - a 12 step success for 6 years now - despite his bi-polar disorder and his extreme interest in reptiles and mammal documentaries on TV.  Michele Pawk walks on eggshells trying to hold the family together - always acquiescing, pleasing, pointing out the silver linings - all the while crumbling and tormented inside about her son - Jonathan Groff - the one who's maybe gay - self admittedly effeminate, but he LOVES WOMEN.  He points this out to his childhood friend Tad (Zachary Booth) and the audience early on as the play alternates between dialogue and what Lucas calls "the psychic interior" - all the characters telling the audience what they are thinking but not saying along the way - or are they really saying it?  

But what does Victoria Clark  - an acerbically  bitter woman from Manhattan who loves to escape to the country and is now visiting her dying mother in the hospital - have to do with any of this?  Well, no spoilers here - we'll just say - "loaded gun".

There's a whole lot going on with this family - but I think part of the message Mr. Lucas is trying to pass on is "who's life isn't complicated these days"?

Losing Louie

Truly an entertaining evening at Manhattan Theater Club's first production of the 2007 season. Louie, the namesake about which the play transpires, is dead. The story seamlessly eases between the current and the past. Two stories - one the story of his life, the other the story of his funeral and all the dirt that finally comes out. Aren't all families twisted in some familiar way?

This is the story of family, conflict, and infidelity in the 1960's. It's the story of secrets, lies, and the extent to which people go to cover them up and smooth things over. It's about the truths you are afraid to tell yourself. Perception is reality? Possibly.

Matthew Arkin leads the talented lineup on the stage at the Biltmore. The staging and direction by Jerry Zachs is brilliant. The use of lighting to change the mood and time periods was brilliant. It all comes together in the end and the truth always comes out... or does it?

It really struck me that while this story, chock full of twists, turns and laughs just might contain some element of truth or relevancy to just about everyone in the audience.

The Paris Letter

Hollywood Arms

http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=13416