May 2010 Theatre Review by Paul Cosca
Ten Unknowns
A play cannot be appreciated in the same way as a painting. A painting can be studied. Can be labored over and stared it, till its meaning spills out from the canvas into your brain. You could spend weeks or months studying a single painting, working out its little intricacies. However in watching a play, one must appreciate what happens moment to moment. In many ways it is more visceral and reactive than a painting could ever be. Unfortunately, Jon Robin Baitz has constructed a play that has to be appreciated like a painting, and that just doesn't work on a stage.
Baitz' play, "Ten Unknowns" concerns artist Malcom Raphelson, who after becoming fed up with American society, puts himself in self imposed exile in Mexico. His work is discovered after some decades by art promoter Trevor, who sends a young ex junkie named Judd out to serve as the old artist's assistant, and to get Raphelson back to producing the work that will make them all rich. When Raphelson becomes taken with the lovely biology student Julia, it brings everyone's deepest problems to a head.
What is unfortunate about watching Will Act For Food's production is that it is obvious that these are very skilled actors battling with a script that gives them little to work with. Every character is so overly verbose that most of the sentences are rushed (particularly with Ben Veatch, playing South African art dealer Trevor, whose clipped accent made many of his lines completely unintelligible.) The play seemed to move at 100 miles an hour, and it still felt far too long. It is a script in desperate need of an editor, and Scott Pasko's direction doesn't aid in making all those words make sense. In the first (incredibly long) scene, actors move around the stage with little purpose, their movements matching Baitz' rambling dialogue. In another scene, Pasko kept Julia (Rachel Neuman) naked for far longer than was necessary, creating a jarring disconnect between her body and the rather inane dialogue that had little to do with the current circumstances.
However, when the play finally slows down and allows the actors to take hold of their words, the results are thrilling. An argument with Raphelson (Dennis Newport), Judd (Neil Huff), and Julia near the end of the play is gripping, with Neil Huff and Dennis Newport really unleashing the kind of passion that exists in these tortured artists. There is passion here. There is intensity and great acting. There is some lovely sound design by Chas Vrba and an effective, simple set by Margaret Goddard. There are good things going on, but a script made of lead is far too heavy for these things to completely overcome.
Will Act for Food offers discounted tickets both online and (more altruistically) with the donation of canned food at the door. With a discounted ticket, there are performances here that are worth seeing. For full price, the play is just too long to be worth the money. At Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00pm through May 29, 2010. Tickets are available for purchase at www.goldstar.com or at the Athenaeum box office.
About Paul Cosca
Paul
Cosca is a writer, actor, director, designer, and critic who loves
the city of Chicago. Originally from California, Cosca moved to the
windy city in 2005 and got a BFA in acting from Roosevelt University.
He has acted and directed in several theatres in the city and is the
artistic Director of Brikenbrak Theatre Project, a theatre that is
devoted to challenging the way people think.
Cosca is devoted to creating a dialogue between all kinds of people in the theatre community. He believes that actors, directors, writers, critics, and theatre lovers should all engage each other, and that the flow of communication is what makes theatre such a vibrant community. He would love to hear what you think, not only about his reviews, but about other shows you've seen. Feel free to send him an email at paulcosca@gmail.com.