|
||
|
Disclaimer:
The reviewers' opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheatreLouisville.org. |
Peer Reviews The Hard Weather Boating Party Reviewed by Keith Waits Entire contents copyright © 2009, Keith Waits, all rights reserved.
The three men seem to be almost strangers to one another. They have come together in a cheap motel room to plan a crime and for a while we can only guess as to how they come to be acquainted or the exact nature of the crime. Staddon Vance is a white man in a suit who is more or less in control, possibly approaching retirement, Coyle Forester is a tough, middle-aged black man and Lex Nadal is an excitable young Hispanic man. Their common bond is to be employed by a petrochemical plant that has damaged their lives. Playwright Naomi Wallace, a Prospect, KY native who has premiered several previous works at the Humana Festival, has set her play in the Rubbertown area of Louisville, where toxic emissions are credited with health problems for employees and residents alike. As the details of the plot unfold and we discover what these three have in mind, it is placed firmly in the context of what has been the cost to exist in such an unhealthy environment. Although these characters set a course for violent, criminal action, they win the audience's sympathy because they themselves have already been victimized. The first act crackles with wit and tension, as the cast bandies dialogue about with verve while the three men size each other up. Everything that happens onstage is sharp, funny and observant, with just the right undercurrent of dread. Michael Cullen as Staddon, Kevin Jackson as Coyle, and Jesse J. Perez as Lex all deliver inventive and powerful performances in a scenario that demands they illustrate a lifetime's worth of pathos in less than two hours. Each man seems intent on making a specific kind of impression on the other two, although in ways that they themselves might not have anticipated. For example, Coyle is challenged to dance in a "balletic" fashion during a game of truth or dare. Mr. Jackson's sure gift for physical comedy in this scene is not to be missed. If the second act runs out of steam just slightly, it might be appropriate in capturing the aftermath of the violent action the men have participated in. But the fascination comes in how the bravado and posturing from act one now give way to pain and suffering as the truth of the characters becomes revealed. In the end, the play is fully a tragedy, as the eventual fate of the characters seems lacking in all hope, but the scabrous funny dialogue, expertly played by a winning cast, deliver enough entertainment to make the bitter pill easier to swallow.
Actors Theatre of Louisville
|
|