The Perplexed

D+

Let me begin with quotes from two previous reviews:

“No one knows how to pander to a Manhattan Theatre Club audience better than Richard Greenberg. String together some witty one-liners, throw in a Jewish matron, add a few Yiddish words, mention Great Neck at least once and, voila, MTC awaits with open arms.” (Our Mother’s Brief Affair)

“There seems to be something about Manhattan Theatre Club’s Stage I at City Center that inspires scenic designers. Some of the finest set designs I have seen in New York have been at that theater. … Unfortunately, the “magic” effect of MTC’s Stage I on set designers does not seem to apply to playwrights. I have seen too many clunkers with great sets here, including this one.” (Long Lost)

Alas, both of these observations could apply just as well to Greenberg’s latest effort, now in previews at MTC. While the mention of Great Neck may be missing this time, we get not one but two Jewish matrons. Lest he ignore any segment of the typical MTC audience, he includes a gay character as well.

Once again, Santo Loquasto is the true star of the evening. I thought his set of a grand CPW apartment for The Assembled Parties could not be topped, but this set of a library off the ballroom of a Fifth Avenue apartment comes very close. If only what took place on the set were as impressive as the set itself!

The ten characters are all attending a wedding which, for some reason, starts with a reception and dancing and concludes with vows at midnight. The apartment belongs to the unseen Berland Stahl, a much-hated real estate bigwig, and grandfather of the bride Isabelle (Tess Frazer; Mary Page Marlowe). Her parents are Joseph (Frank Wood; Side Man, Network) and Evy (Margaret Colin; Jackie, Defiance), who is a NYC councilwoman. Her brother Micah (Zane Pais; Dead Poets Society) has just been involved in a scandal. Her uncle James (Patrick Breen; The New Englanders, Next Fall) is an author whose popularity has passed. We learn that Isabelle’s family have been disinherited by Berland after some messy lawsuits.

The groom is Caleb Resnick (JD Taylor; Apologia, The Last Match), a do-gooder, whose parents Ted (Gregg Edelman; City of Angels, Passion) and Natalie (Ilana Levine; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown) had a falling-out with the Stahls 20 years ago. The officiant is Cyrus Bloom (Eric Williams Morris; King Kong, Coram Boy), a long-time family friend whose career path led from Wall Street to the rabbinate to teaching. Patricia (Anna Itty; India Pale Ale) is Berlind’s Guyanan home aide.

Different combinations of characters enter the library and talk and talk and talk. Occasionally there is a witty line to remember. What little plot there is hardly piqued my interest. While it was a pleasure to see a few actors I always enjoy (Breen, Colin and Wood), it was not pleasure enough to make the dreary proceedings more bearable. While I admire MTC director Lynne Meadows’s dogged support of Greenberg over the years even though he has never produced a hit for them, I wish she would try harder to find new talent. Much as I enjoy their excellent sets, I wish they would spend less on sets and more on play development. Running time: two hours 30 minutes including intermission.

         

Bobbie Clearly

C

Clearly may be the title character’s last name, but it is hardly a description of the manner in which he is portrayed. As a 14-year-old in rural Nebraska, he murders a girl named Casey in a cornfield for no apparent reason. If you expect to discover his motivation, you will be disappointed. The play traces the impact of his senseless act on ten residents of his hometown, Milton, Nebraska (pop. 750) over a period of about 15 years. They include Darla London (Constance Shulman; Barbecue), the town’s sole police officer, who narrates most of the story; Casey’s parents, Jane (Crystal Finn; Kingdom Come) and Stanley Welch (Christopher Innvar; The Snow Geese); Casey's brother Eddie (Tyler Lea; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), who witnessed the murder; two friends, Megan (Talene Monahon; The Government Inspector) and Meghan (Sasha Diamond; Significant Other), who are friendly rivals; Derek (JD Taylor), a shallow guy who gets by on his good looks; Russ (Marcus Ho; The Last Match). a very close friend of Jane’s; and two townies Pete (Gabriel Brown; The City of Conversation) and Mitch (Brian Quijada; My Mañana Comes). Each deals with the tragedy in a different way ranging from hatred to stoic acceptance to forgiveness. Two years after the murder, the Welches set up a foundation in Casey’s honor and initiate an annual talent show to raise funds. After ten years, Bobbie Clearly (Ethan Dubin; Rancho Viejo) is released from prison. His return to Milton stirs up many passions, which are exacerbated when he decides to enter the talent show. I think playwright Alex Lubitscher was aiming for a portrayal of small-town life in the vein of “Our Town” rather than a portrait of Bobbie. The performances from the talent show are more entertaining than relevant. Watching a hunter eviscerate a deer was just nasty. The quality of the acting varies widely. There are a few scenes that totally engage our rapt attention. While I admire the playwright’s ambition and raw talent, I do not feel that he was able to maintain firm control over his material. The tone wobbles from moment to moment. Roundabout Underground has mounted a lavish production. The set design by Arnulfo Maldonado (Indecent, Charm) covers all four walls of the auditorium with husked and detasseled ears of corn behind chicken wire. The audience is seated on three sides on folding chairs stenciled with “Milton Comm. Center.” Director Will Davis (Charm) keeps things moving along smoothly. While I would not call it a success, I am not sorry that I saw it. Running time: two hours 20 minutes including two intermissions.