'Dogman's Last Stand' is a howl

By John Quinn

The savvy gardener will tell you that a little bovine excrement makes for a fertile field. I don't know what kind of fertilizer playwright Rick Cleveland used to enrich his imagination before turning out his 1985 charmer, "Dogman's Last Stand," but from the amount of male bovine excrement thrown around in this play, I might hazard a guess. I am happy to report the "green-thumbers" are right on the mark – Cleveland has reaped a bountiful harvest of entertainment.

They say in the news biz that there's no story in "dog bites man." If "man bites dog," well, you're on to something. Yet "dog bites a punk of a paperboy who has an affinity for firecrackers" starts this plot rolling.

We can infer Dogman Thompson earned his nickname by taking in stray pooches. His favorite canine companion, "John Wayne," is so ashamed of his momentary madness he's off hiding under the bed and we never get to meet him. "Dog" is waiting on his porch for the inevitable visit from the police. Although a laid-off steel worker in a run-down mill town, he's obviously a force to be reckoned with. He's not giving up John Wayne for quarantine and we may yet have the story "man bites cop" as tomorrow's headline. Instead, he is joined by his younger and equally unemployed co-worker, Wally. The outcome is an existential afternoon as the men hash out the mysteries of life, love and dogs. "Dogman's Last Stand" is "Waiting for Godot" for the Common Man.

But on the topic of male bovine excrement – not only is it one of Dogman's favorite expletives, he's also not above tossing it around in the form of stories of dubious authenticity. The playful prankster is so fickle we are uncertain about his past. We're uncertain about his future. We can only grasp a timeless "now." It's a very engaging device.

The Theatre Company at University of Detroit Mercy offers students of the Performing Arts Department an opportunity to work on and off stage with associate guest artists and directors. It's always a delight when the students step up to the challenge and go toe-to-toe with the pros. Under the direction of director David L. Regal, Chris Jakob is an affable, engaging Wally, almost like a puppy learning new tricks from the old "Dog." As his girlfriend, Pam, sassy Char'Tavia Mushatt's is a scene stealer. Also of note is a cameo by UDM faculty member Dr. Arthur J. Beer as Harry, Dogman and Wally's laid-off colleague. Beer is so comfortable in the role it might have been written just for him.

But clearly the show belongs to Joel Mitchell. From Dogman's first appearance in bathrobe and cowboy boots to the wishful, wistful second act curtain, Mitchell deftly handles both the comedy and pathos intrinsic in this complex character. Dogman is a hero – given to profanity, fortified by mass quantities of PBR and Wild Irish Rose. But a hero just the same. And that's no excrement.

SHOW DETAILS: UDM Theatre Company's "Dogman's Last Stand" continues at Marygrove Theatre, 8424 W. McNichols Rd., Detroit, Friday-Sunday through Feb. 12. Tickets: $18. For information: 313-993-3270 or http://theatre.udmercy.edu.

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Walk a mile in 'Dead Man's Shoes'

By Michael H. Margolin

A deeply twisted comedy by Joseph Zettelmaier has just opened at Williamston Theatre, and it steals your heart – after breaking your ankles, punching you in the gut and puncturing your lungs.

"Dead Man's Shoes" is about two men of the West – our true, native West – who start out together, cell by cell and cheek by jowl in a lockup run by Sheriff J.B. Anthony. Soon, they are out and on a picaresque adventure, a search for revenge by Injun Bill Picote, a lean, black-hatted, handsome outlaw and his new sidekick, a frump nicknamed Froggy.

Their journey takes them to Billings, Montana, then Denver and into the valley of the shadow of death where God's rod and staff will be no comfort. It seems that Injun Bill's guilt will not be assuaged until he kills one man in particular: the man who took his buddy in crime, George – who bragged of exploits committed by Bill himself – skinned him and made him into a pair of shoes.

So there are two pair of symbolic shoes in this play: those made from a dead man's skin – beat that, Christian Laboutin – and Bill's shiny black boots made for walking. And death.

Bill kills only with knives. As he tells Froggy, "Kill a man with a gun don't take more skill than pointing a finger". Bill points his finger and it is knife-sharp.

Set just a few years after the bloody period described so brilliantly in Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian," the playwright summons the meanness and violence of the west, but leavens it with laughter as the Coen brothers did in "True Grit." You might just think, too, of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza on their picaresque journey.

Two things that Zettelmaier does very well is create character and draw laughs from their plights – bugs pinned by the author's wit; but he also builds a plot out of which the humor grows, natural, ironic, teasing and sarcastic. And, oh my, he uses language with flare.

Director David Wolber of Performance Network (which is co-producer and subsequent presenter of this fine show) gives shape to the show with his clever staging, right on the mark, giving his four actors room to shine.

The two lead roles belong to Drew Parker as Picotee, who you might imagine as Tommy Lee Jones playing the role as a young man. He clenches his teeth, bares his bravado and finally gives up his guts – literally and figuratively – for the playwright.

His sidekick is the obese Aral Gribble (and before I get the complaint letters, let me say that the script means for him to be a tub of lard). Gribble shakes, rattles and rolls his performance around the stage whether bathing, pleading for his life or bidding a whore to undress slowly – the revelation in that scene, however, is not nudity, but a bit of ironic meet cute.

Wolber has also found the varieties of sweetness and toughness in Maggie Meyer who plays all but one of the women in the show: prostitutes, hard-up widows, angels of mercilessness.

Paul Hopper plays all the other characters, including a madam in drag that veers close to over the top, but stays within reasonable drag comedy. Hopper, a chameleon in show after show in Southeastern Michigan, here turns into a snake oil salesman of death. He is remarkable in the last few minutes of the play: Bravura is not too great a word for his performance.

Kirk Domer's scenic design is a show-stealer: A huge, rolling scrim some 10 to12 feet high rotates by a crank at the side of the stage – often by Ms. Meyer. The painting on the scrim is in shades of brown and depicts destinations from the travels of Bill and Froggy. At intermission, names of local businesses face front. Fiendishly clever, and well lit by Daniel C. Walker's lighting design.

Zettlemaier's "It Came From Mars" had its dual premiere at Williamston and Ann Arbor's Performance Network in 2010. Among other works nominated for the American Theatre Critics Award for Best New Play, his "And the Creek Don't Rise" was the best selling show in the Williamston Theatre's five year history.

Aside from its laughs, its touchstones in literature , this play contains adult language and themes in, it should be said, the worst possible best taste. Surely, this will be one of the best of the season, with performances that are equally memorable.

SHOW DETAILS: "Dead Man's Shoes" continues at Williamston Theatre, 122 S. Putnam St., Williamston, Thursday-Sunday through Feb. 26. Tickets: $20-25. For information: 517-655-7469 or www.williamstontheatre.org.

The production then moves to Performance Network Theatre, 120 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor. Previews March 8-11 & 15 ($15-$32); then runs Thursday-Sunday, March 16-April 8. Tickets: $25-$41. For information: 734-663-0681 or www.performancenetwork.org.

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Mamet's 'Race' a sobering commentary on ethics and morals

By John Quinn

In troubled times, society needs prophets to set it back on track. Jeremiah saw a nation sliding into idolatry and preached a return to principles of absolute justice and morality. The idols go by different names these days, but worship of pride, fame, wealth, and especially power remain a blot on the common culture. Playwright David Mamet is an unlikely candidate for modern prophet but his powerful jeremiads are the cautionary tales of our times. Mamet rips bandages off festering sores so light and air can help them heal. That's always a painful procedure.

In his 2009 Broadway play, "Race," Mamet chose as his theme "race and the lies we tell each other on the subject." To be more specific, the play exposes the pervasive influence race retains even over stalwart institutions like the criminal justice system. Ordinarily, Mamet's perception is as swift and lethal as a stiletto in a street fight; here we find more epigram than insight. Yet the writing remains compelling and his casual, trade-mark vulgarities are a wake-up call for a jaded culture. The plot is suitably convoluted, and there is more than a little back-stabbing. "Race" is not great Mamet, but even good Mamet can be great theater.

Mamet doesn't write likeable characters, but "Race" takes dislike to levels beyond what we'd feel towards oily film executives or slimy real estate agents. The cast comprises three lawyers and an accused rapist. Case closed. The accused, Charles Strickland (John Manfredi), retains a small law firm – partners Jack Lawson (Hank Bennett) and Henry Brown (Harold Hogan) and their young associate, Susan (Lisa Lauren Smith). The charge is rape; Strickland claims the sex was consensual. What complicates the case is the racial aspect.

In a foreshadowing of the Dominique Strauss-Kahn incident, Strickland is a "one-percenter," and his accuser is African-American. The attorneys' objectivity is called into question – Jack is white, while Henry and Susan are black. And while the legal team keeps referring to the client as "innocent," their strategy is to turn the jury into an audience; telling a story plausible enough to instill reasonable doubt, leading to a verdict of "not guilty." It's as if Mamet would codify the lawyers' pledge as, "to tell the truth, the half-truth and nothing but the half-truth so hope to God my half-truth is more compelling the opposing counsel's."

This production hit some rough patches on its road to the stage – see the link below – and has not yet found its footing. In the old tradition of "the show must go on," Bennett stepped into the pivotal role of Jack Lawson on opening night. Despite a yeoman effort to handle the torrent of dialogue the part entails, he is, as of this writing, still "on book" and carries the script with him. The ensemble fails to gel, and a wealth of sub-plot is unexplored by the entire cast.

It is worth noting that "Race" is yet another satisfying example of a strong artistic vision seamlessly rendered by the designers. Jennifer Maiseloff's scenic design, representing the law office, employs strong horizontal lines, giving a remarkable spaciousness to the playing area. Her muted palette is echoed in Mary Copenhagen's costumes. Add the stark lighting by Michael Beyer and we have a remarkable metaphor for the playwright's view of the legal profession – there are no blacks or whites, merely shades of grey.

Director Christopher Bremer and his cast have not yet triumphed over adversity. There's potential here, and "Race" might shine later in its run.

CLICK HERE for John Monaghan's story in the Feb. 3 issue of the Detroit Free Press: Actor Steve Blackwood quits JET's 'Race' over artistic differences.

SHOW DETAILS: 'Race' by The Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company continues at Aaron DeRoy Theatre at the Jewish Community Center, 6600 W. Maple Rd., West Bloomfield, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday through Feb. 19, plus Wednesday, Feb. 15. Tickets: $36-$43. For information: 248-788-2900 or www.jettheatre.org.

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Full disclosure: 'Addams Family' is sweet fun at Wharton Center

By Donald V. Calamia

Yes, they're still creepy and kooky and all together ooky – and we wouldn't want Charles Addams' loveable family of eccentrics any other way. And that's exactly what Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice and Andrew Lippa deliver in their new musical comedy, "The Addams Family."

Onstage now through this Sunday at East Lansing's Wharton Center, Addams' characters translate to the stage quite well. Mixing popular elements from the popular 1960s TV series with the single-panel cartoons that appeared originally in The New Yorker, the result is a much funnier night at the theater than what I expected – with a plot that is universal and as old as storytelling itself.

But with a twist, of course.

Teenager Wednesday Addams (Cortney Wolfson) arrives home with big news she shares only with her father, Gomez (Douglas Sills): She's in love. Not known for her sunny disposition, Gomez is surprised by his daughter's revelation, but assumes it is a passing fancy. But Wednesday assures him it's true, and that she's invited her fiance and his family to dinner that night. However, there's a catch: Gomez can't tell Morticia (Sara Gettelfinger) – his wife, her mother – for fear the news may upset her and cause her to ruin the evening.

That presents Gomez with a couple of problems.

For starters, Lucas (Brian Justin Crum), Wednesday's husband-to-be, and his family are respectable conservatives from Ohio. But more importantly, Gomez has never, ever kept a secret from his beloved spouse – and to do so now could seriously damage their 25-year marriage. Yet he's promised his daughter he'd keep her secret.

"I'm trapped," Gomez sings early in the first act. Which he is, of course. And then the fun truly begins!

While boy-meets-girl stories are a dime a dozen, this "macabre girl meets a boy from Ohio" story is an entertaining tale about relationships – no matter your age, political affiliation or weirdness. Authors Brickman and Elice stay true to the characters audiences have loved since the '60s, endowing them with witty dialogue that includes snappy one-liners and timely references, and adult-themed wordplay that goes way over the heads of the little ones in attendance (as evidenced by the reactions of the 6-year-old sitting next to me).

If the script goes slightly off track, it's a subplot regarding Uncle Fester (Blake Hammond) and his love for the moon. It stretches an already-thin creditability and requires a little too-much suspension of disbelief. But without it, we'd lose the excellent number "The Moon and Me" in the second act. And a chuckle at the end.

The aforementioned actors all play – haunt? inhabit? – their characters quite well. Sills is charming, Gettelfinger is sexy, and Hammond's Uncle Fester steals the show. One surprise is Patrick D. Kennedy as Pugsley; a high note he hits will amaze you. Another is Tom Corbeil as Lurch; his rich, deep baritone comes out of nowhere and is likely the most impressive voice in the show.

Also notable is Christy Morton, who played Lucas' mother, Alice, on opening night. Had I missed the notice inserted in my program, I would never have guessed Morton is the role's understudy. Every aspect of her performance was delightful.

Also deserving of high praise are the show's technical elements. The ingenious set by Julian Crouch and Phelim McDermott (who also directed the show) moves like clockwork and helps the story flow from scene to scene with little or no interruption in between. The lights by Natasha Katz help create the appropriate moods for every scene.

And I can't forget to mention the puppetry by Basil Twist that delighted both young and old alike on opening night. (What that entails I won't mention.)

So while not all of life's problems can be solved by a tango, get your witches shawl on and a broomstick you can crawl on, and pay a call on "The Addams Family." At the very least, it will certainly help brighten your day! (snap, snap)

SHOW DETAILS: "The Addams Family" continues at Wharton Center's Cobb Great Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, daily through Feb. 5. Tickets: $30-70. For information: 517-432-2000 or www.whartoncenter.com.

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OTHER VOICES - REVIEWS: The Addams Family - Wharton Center

Read PAUL WOZNIAK's review – City Pulse (Feb. 2, 2012)

A sweet date comedy at Stormfield

By Bridgette M. Redman

There is no comedic food so rich as the feast provided by the tension and attraction between the sexes. The topic has been providing meat for comedians, authors, playwrights, screenwriters and storytellers of all other ilk since stories first began to be told.

This is the meal that Stormfield Theatre prepares for its audience in these weeks leading up to Valentine's Day. The two-person show "Romantic Fools" by Rich Orloff is part stand-up, part vaudeville and part light comedy dealing with the way men and women relate to each other. The Stormfield production, directed by Rob Roznowski, presented 11 of the 12 sketches Orloff wrote.

Each sketch features Roger Ortman and Lisa Sodman playing a variety of men and women who can barely figure out how to relate to each other, but all completely unwilling to give up the hope of forming a rewarding relationship. From the one-liners at the beginning, each makes it clear that as frustrated as they get with the behavior of the opposite gender, they still like that gender.

Sodman's characters were all very similar in movement and voice, changing only in emotion and intensity. While sketch comedy often demands great changes in character, Sodman instead created an everywoman, one that could fit easily into every situation and was instantly recognizable no matter what her circumstances.

Ortman was more varied in the characters he presented, with his primitive man and Stepford husband presenting polar opposites surrounded by a range of other characters. He was most effective as the sensitive type, confused and overwhelmed by how his attempts to do the right things invariably backfired. His diction caused some confusion in one sketch when the adjective "dull" kept coming out as "doll," putting a whole different meaning into his requests until Sodman's character clarified.

Scenic designers Kirk Domer and Zac Campbell give the two actors a lot to play with in a set that works for all 11 sketches. Stage right is the man's domain and stage left is the woman's, each given a dressing table surrounded by furnishings and props that let them make the changes they need to become the different characters in each story. The middle of the stage forms the meeting places where a few moving blocks can create the furnishings each story calls for.

Costumer Holly Iller provided plenty of simple items that allowed for partial costume changes to help set the scenes and give the characters individuality. These simple pieces worked well, especially the distinctive ones such as the wig of curlers, the taped glasses and the cave-man drape.

There is a great deal of charm and humor found within each sketch, light comedies that elicit laughter because the situations are either familiar or delicious exaggerations of the familiar. There was plenty of discussion of sex, and even some behind the scenes panting and groping, but the presentation stayed rather tame in both language and on-stage behavior. It was titillating without ever being pornographic.

The sketches played with different forms of comedy, drawing inspiration from such sources as the Marx Brothers, Monty Python and late-night stand-ups. A "Who's on First" variation takes place at an orgy with a woman trying to learn the names of the different players. The first half skipped from situation to situation while the second half began to weave a single story together. It was in this second half where there started to be an authenticity to the relationships and the humor began to ring more true.

Sodman and Ortman create a gentle night of comedy that starts with their characters expressing frustration over relationships and ends sweetly, waving the audience goodbye with optimism and hope.

SHOW DETAILS: "Romantic Fools" continues at Stormfield Theatre, 201 Morgan Lane, Lansing, Thursday-Sunday through Feb. 19. For adults only. Tickets: $18-$24. For information: 517-488-8450 or www.stormfieldtheatre.org.

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OTHER VOICES - REVIEWS: Romantic Fools - Stormfield Theatre

Read MARY C. CUSACK's review – City Pulse (Feb. 1, 2012)

PRTC pulls no punches with 'A Stone Carver'

Donald V. Calamia

As we grow to adulthood, we begin to see our parents through the eyes of an adult rather than through the fantasies of a child. At some point during that process, the relationship between a parent and child can often become contentious. In "A Stone Carver" at The Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea, a now-adult son must come to terms with his cantankerous father with whom he's had little contact in recent times. The result is one of the best and most memorable plays I've experienced so far this season.

The son of an aging, old-world craftsman returns home to visit his father, but with a secret agenda: to convince his dad to move out of the home his widowed father built with his own hands to make way for a new freeway off-ramp. Fireworks between the two erupt the minute Raff (Matthew David) arrives at the locked gate with Janice (Charlyn Swarthout), his soon-to-be wife whom his father has never met. Agostino (Guy Sanville), a Sicilian immigrant, was long ago told by his father that "no one will take what's yours in America" – and true to what his father said, Agostino both refuses to leave and threatens to shoot anyone who tries to take his property from him. As a result, the rest of the neighborhood has been torn down around him, and his closest neighbors are the rats who have moved in looking for food. And the cops are ready to move in and forcibly remove him.

Raff can't understand why his father won't accept the buyout the state is offering for his property; after all, the house is looking rather seedy. So how will he get his father to leave? And more importantly, can these two men put aside their life-long differences to achieve an outcome that will not only resolve the current crisis, but repair their relationship as well?

Having grown up half Italian in a neighborhood in which many of my friends and classmates had parents who came to Detroit from "the old country" – Sicily and various small towns in Italy, in particular – I immediately identified with the characters in William Mastrosimone's play. Like Agostino, many of the fathers were multi-generational craftsman whose sons weren't interested in continuing the family business. While it was apparent as an outsider that the fathers loved their sons, it was equally obvious that it wasn't easy for the fathers to watch as their sons rejected the wisdom and traditions of the past as they embraced the future America had to offer them. The result was often a loud and contentious relationship between the generations, with neither side truly appreciating or understanding the positions or goals of the other.

That's certainly the case with Raff and Agostino. Interestingly enough, one might assume somewhat of a father-son relationship exists between David and Sanville as well. David has grown and matured as a young actor since coming to The Purple Rose a handful of seasons back, thanks in part to the guidance of Artistic Director Sanville, who has utilized him in many notable productions since his arrival. So it's great fun watching these two – teacher and student, father and son – storm the stage together in a production that saw the audience leap to its feet seconds into the curtain call on opening night. And deservedly so.

Raff's hurt and pain is apparent despite the honor and respect he tries to show his father – and, more importantly, the harsh treatment he receives from him. Although much of David's character is conveyed through his physical actions and reactions – his walk and the tautness of his muscles, for example – David also excels at revealing Raff's inner thoughts and feelings via his eyes and facial expressions.

Not to be outdone, Swarthout displays her deep understanding of her character the minute she appears on stage; her wide-eyed, jaw-dropping reaction to the bombastic Agostino is priceless. And as Janice slowly warms to and better understands her father-in-law-to-be, Swarthout's portrayal charms both Agostino and the audience alike.

The show's success, however, hinges on the believability of Agostino. With dialogue filled with fractured English and plenty of Italian, it would be easy to make him a caricature. In Sanville's expert hands, however, we're given a strong and sympathetic man who simply wants to live out his life in a home filled with beautiful memories – and a father who wants only what's best for his son, although it might not always look that way. If I didn't know better, I'd believe Sanville's accent is real – remember, I've spent my life around old-world Italians – and there's no emotional beat that's missed, thanks to his excellent understanding of the character he's playing. It's a masterful performance from start to finish.

What's also astonishing is the effort by first-time director Rhiannon Ragland. The pacing is perfect, the staging is clear and concise, and all the show's elements come together quite nicely.

That includes an impressive set (with a cool back yard) by Daniel C. Walker, and the perfect lighting effect to close the show by Dana White. And the sound choices by Quintessa Gallinat – from the tinkering sounds before the show to the selection of song as the audience leaves the theater – couldn't be better.

(One final note: Don't be surprised if you hear chuckles from scattered parts of the audience as Sanville delivers certain lines. Those of us who understand snippets of Italian earned curious looks from nearby audience members on opening night as we were the only ones laughing at some of the Agostino's lines. I may not be able to speak the language, but my grandmother and friends' fathers taught me enough to appreciate these little insights into Sanville's character!)

SHOW DETAILS:'A Stone Carver' continues at The Purple Rose Theatre Company, 137 Park St., Chelsea, Wednesday-Sunday through March 10, with occasional Tuesday performances. Tickets: $17.50-$40. For information: 734-433-7673 or www.purplerosetheatre.org.

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OTHER VOICES - REVIEWS: A Stone Carver - The Purple Rose Theatre Company

Read ROBERT DELANEY's review - New Monitor (Feb. 4, 2012)

Read TOM HELMA's review – City Pulse (Feb. 1, 2012)

Read SEAN DALTON's review – Heritage Newspapers (Feb. 2, 2012)

Read JENN MCKEE's review – AnnArbor.com (Jan. 28, 2012)

Tipping Point lists lots of reasons to laugh

By Bridgette M. Redman

Looking a gift horse in the mouth can have dangerous consequences.

In "The Love List," Bill gets himself the perfect girlfriend – until he starts trying to tweak perfection. Then things go seriously awry for both him and his best friend, Leon.

Tipping Point Theatre's production of Norm Foster's play is charming and fun with just a touch of spookiness. Dave Davies creates the statistician Bill who is likeable and naive, the type of guy who can be deadly dull one minute and adorable as a teddy bear the next. Meanwhile Wayne David Parker plays Leon, the novelist who would like to believe he is suave, debonair and a connoisseur of the female gender. He's slightly arrogant and admittedly shallow, a man who has done little to make himself a good partner while being overeager to describe in detail what the perfect female match should be. Together, the two balance the tension and comfort that simultaneously exists in the long-standing friendship between these two men.

It is Tina Gloss-Finnell as Justine who mixes things up between these best friends, blowing out the comfort zone in which both live, and forcing them to question what they really want out of life. She is a delight to watch as she waltzes through their life, the only one completely assured about everything she does and who she is – even as her personality undergoes major changes when the men start playing with her traits.

The play opens on Bill's 50th birthday, and Leon has bought him the services of a gypsy matchmaker who requires only that he list the 10 requirements he has for a woman, in order of importance. The two friends quickly reveal the differences in their values as they discuss what should be on the list and in what sequence. Shortly after Leon leaves for the night, Justine shows up at Bill's apartment, acting as though she has been in a long-term relationship with him and displaying all the characteristics that the two men put on the list.

Bill, who has gone seven years without a date and who had been in a pretty lonely marriage before that, doesn't take long to simply accept this gift, first as a joke and then as fate. If it's a trick, he's not too eager to get to the bottom of it. Then the two men learn that when they change the list, Justine also changes.

Gloss-Finnel does a fantastic job of quickly adapting these changes and forcefully demonstrating the best and worst of each trait the men come up with. She's so convincing that it's easy to see why Bill can't question Justine's presence for long.

Lynn Lammers has fun with the direction of this show, keeping the actors moving so that audiences on all sides of the thrust stage get their turn at viewing the expressiveness of her three actors. She also works with Lighting Designer Joel Klain and Sound Designer Julia Garlotte to create a handful of clever effects to make the audience wonder exactly what Justine is and where she comes from.

Properties Designer Natividad Salgado has a huge task in filling Bill's cluttered apartment, a set built by Dennis Crawley, with Bill's research materials, a fully stocked bar and kitchen that is realistic and functional.

"The Love List" is a fun show that asks a lot of "what if?" questions about male friendships, marriages and dating.

SHOW DETAILS: 'The Love List' continues at Tipping Point Theatre, 361 E. Cady St., Northville, Thursday-Sunday through Feb. 19. Tickets: $28-30. For information: 248-347-0003 or www.tippingpointtheatre.com.

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OTHER VOICES - REVIEWS: The Love List - Tipping Point Theatre

Read ROBERT DELANEY's review - New Monitor (Jan. 26, 2012)

Read JOHN MONAGHAN's review - Detroit Free Press (Jan. 26, 2012)

Brave choice, engaging debut by Threefold Productions

By Donald V. Calamia

Imagine waking up one morning in a room you don't recognize and finding a hand on your breast that belongs to a similarly middle-aged stranger sleeping next to you. And worse, you have no idea who you are, and you have no recollection of why you and this man are alone in what is – otherwise – an idyllic setting.

Such is the starting point of "A Body of Water" by Lee Blessing, the inaugural production of Threefold Productions based at the Mix Studio Theater in Ypsilanti. Its selection is rather surprising, since many new theaters choose to open with a popular comedy, a safe musical or something not-too cerebral. Instead, Artistic Director Sarah Lucas brings to life a genre-defying, three-person drama that says much but reveals little. And the resultant production is sure to spark a lively debate once the house lights come up and the audience heads home – which, quite frankly, is how I love my visits to the theater to end!

Dressed in bathrobes they find in a closet, the woman (Brenda Lane) and man (Lee Stille) meet in the living room of what appears to be a vacation home surrounded mostly by water. Are they married, they wonder? (Neither wears a wedding ring.) Secret lovers? Acquaintances? Or strangers, perhaps? With no memory of their past lives except for brief, inconsequential flashes, what brought them together, they ask? And why here? The arrival of a woman carrying bagels may shed light on their questions. But what Wren (Luna Alexander) tells them is far worse than they expected. But as the day progresses and Wren's tale changes, they – and the audience – are left to wonder what's true and what's not. (Audiences may also wonder why it takes so long for the man and woman to dig into the purse and wallet Wren provides them, which would ultimately reveal their names. Or why fear seems to drive their actions and responses more than common sense would; the two are supposedly well-educated professionals. But to do otherwise would have resulted in a much shorter and different play.)

If Blessing's story reminds you of Ionesco's "The Chairs" or Sartre's "No Exit," you're not alone; both are frequent comparisons, thanks to the script's surrealistic and absurdist underpinnings. Yet the setting also seems to echo a drawing room farce, while the search for truth is a twist on a locked room detective story. Whatever its pedigree, the resulting script may not fully satisfy the discriminating patron who likes every question answered and the resolution tied up in a nice, neat package. But no one can quibble much with the artistic choices made by Lucas in bringing this complicated story to life.

With its roots deeply embedded in Eastern Michigan University's theater department – much of the production team earned their degrees there recently or are current students – I half expected Threefold Productions to populate its cast with equally young actors. (Such is often the case with new companies created by fresh-out-of-college artists; casting often comes from within their close circle of young friends.) Lucas, however, defied expectation by casting age-appropriate and experienced actors for all three roles.

Stille, a professor of theater and performance studies at EMU and 2011 Wilde Award nominee for his excellent work in "Equus" at the Blackbird Theatre, takes his character as written by the playwright – which I have a problem with, if you accept as true Wren's explanation of who he is, plus other factors I won't reveal here – and presents a believable and sympathetic picture of a man who is confused and dazed by the life he wakes up to.

Lane is given far more to work with by the playwright, and she wrings every ounce of emotion out of it.

The toughest role of the show, however, belongs to Alexander. Wren is a character that would be easy to dislike, but Alexander finds a path that fully explores the emotional roller coaster Wren faces every time she encounters the couple. While she may be snarky at times and almost heartless at others, Wren's motivations become clear as the story progresses, and Alexander's portrayal always rings true.

That is, if everything Wren tells the couple isn't a lie!

Direction by Lucas – who made her professional directorial debut with the aforementioned production of "Equus" – ebbs and flows in synchronicity with the script, with the powerful and emotional peaks among the highlights of the show. Also of note are the scene changes, which are organic and interesting to watch. My only quibble was the result of my choice of where to sit in the Mix's intimate black box space. With seating on three sides of the floor-level stage area, I sat on the far end of the middle section. Little did I suspect, however, that I would spend far too much time staring directly at the back (or front) of an actor, who blocked my view of whatever action was taking place on stage. (The only other person sitting in my row was similarly impacted; there were a handful of times I noticed he leaned far to his left to observe the on-stage action.)

Dustin Miller's Lego-like set pieces surprised and impressed me, while John Diorio's sound design is so real and effective that I thought one particular car sound came from the street outside the theater.

Lights by Emily Clarkson generally serve the show well. But a few light changes made little sense. Miscues perhaps?

As the story closes, we hear the same lines we heard at the opening, which leaves us to ponder one thing: Is anything we just witnessed "true?" That's for each theatergoer to decide, of course. But what I can tell you is this: Threefold Productions' impressive debut bodes well for this young and energetic theater company. And I look forward to what promises to be a very welcome addition to Metro Detroit's ever-changing professional theater scene.

SHOW DETAILS: Threefold Productions' "A Body of Water" continues at Mix Studio Theater, 8 N. Washington St., Ypsilanti, Friday-Saturday through Feb. 4, plus Wednesday, Jan. 25. Tickets: $18. For information: 734-778-0627 or www.threefoldproductions.org.

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OTHER VOICES - REVIEWS: Frank Langella's Cyrano - Hilberry Theatre

Read ROBERT DELANEY's review - New Monitor (Feb. 2, 2012)

Read SAMANTHA WHITE's review – The Oakland Press (Jan. 26, 2012)

Read PATTY NOLAN's review – Detroit Theater Examiner (Jan. 14, 2012)

Murder, mayhem and laughs in Eastpointe

By Donald V. Calamia

"I keep losing track of what crime we're committing," gasps Lois Shields, an exasperated book editor in "Cahoots," the comedy thriller now playing at Eastpointe's Broadway Onstage Live Theatre. And she's not the only one, thanks to a lively and imaginative script by Rick Johnson.

Arriving at the home of Jan (her best friend) and Ken Miller, Lois expects to have a nice dinner (along with with her husband, Al) before the foursome attends a block association meeting to discuss crime prevention techniques. (Al's brother had been murdered 11 months earlier, and he's developed a "crime busters" presentation for their neighbors.) Little did she know, however, that before the night is over, bodies will drop like flies – literally – and the cover-ups will test the limits of their friendships.

The adventure begins when a decade-long secret is revealed, and the long-simmering revelation erupts into a heated encounter that ends at the dinner table with Ken smacking Al in the head with a three-foot-long peppermill. That sends him flying backward into a trunk, against which he hits his head. Bleeding profusely and totally still, the remaining diners believe he's dead – and the cover-up begins. Before long, however, additional secrets come tumbling out – and those in cahoots find themselves in one heck of a complicated mess.

It's a funny, but complicated mess, of course, as the surviving threesome faces one improbable and unexpected twist after another. But if there's a lesson to be learned here, it's this: Money and murder do indeed make strange bedfellows!

Attending a production at the storefront Broadway Onstage is like traveling to a friend's house and watching a play in their rec room. Guests are warmly greeted upon their arrival, and fellow patrons nod their heads or say hello as you find your way to your seat. Meanwhile, others wander about making small talk with one another. Around you, the theater is decorated with props and memorabilia from previous shows, and TV screens above the stage play old time comedy shorts before the performance and during intermission. And after the show, the cast – most of whom are usually familiar faces to Broadway Onstage regulars – steps off the stage and mingles with the audience. You can't feel more at home than this!

That comfort is helped along by director Shirley Biggs-Urkshus, who brought together a delightful team of actors to bring Johnson's characters to life. Audience favorites CeCe Lesner plays Jan, while John Arden McClure is Grant, a character who makes his entrance in Act Two and shakes up the plot. They are joined by Joe Urkshus as Ken, Patrick Sharpe as Al, and Diana Turner, a newcomer to Broadway Onstage, as Lois.

The opening night performance moved along at a brisk pace and the laughs were well earned – except for the times the actors stumbled over or forgot their lines. (This was duly noted rather loudly by a woman sitting in the first row, who generated a few laughs of her own from the people sitting around her). When the actors clicked, they clicked – but such pauses momentarily disrupted the flow of the story (and to be honest, I got confused a few times by what seemed like incorrect references to certain characters). But with another performance or two under their belts, the result should be a slick and thoroughly entertaining night of murder and mayhem in Eastpointe!

SHOW DETAILS: "Cahoots" continues at Broadway Onstage, 21517 Kelly Road, Eastpointe, Friday-Saturday through Feb. 11. Tickets: $16. For information: 586-771-6333 or www.broadwayonstage.com.

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A timely romp at Go Comedy!

By Donald V. Calamia

The more things change, the more things stay the same. While that might be part of the message delivered by "The Tim Machine" at Ferndale's Go Comedy! Improv Theater, it's also descriptive of Metro Detroit's tight-knit improv community.

Having observed them from the time The Second City arrived in (and later, departed from) Detroit way back when, it's been fun to watch as one group of improvisers sharpen their skills, earn their reputations and then move on (and often, out of state). Their places, then, are taken by a new set of young and enthusiastic creators looking to make a name for themselves. Detroit has been a breeding ground for such talent; Larry Joe Campbell, Keegan-Michael Key, Josh and Nyima Funk, and Jaime Moyer are a handful of local luminaries who have headed west in recent years, while Dave Davies, the Jacokes clan and Bryan Lark still delight area stages after several years of service to the community. But what's even more fascinating is to watch what happens when one of Detroit's most beloved improv divas works her magic with the latest crop of up-and-comers – and hence we come to Go Comedy!'s latest original comedy.

From the year 2052 comes an 80-something-year-old time traveler with dire news of the future. But rather than finding himself in 2012 as expected, Tim lands in the middle of a protest – in 1972. Oddly enough, it looks like every other protest he encounters as he jumps through time – including the modern-day Occupiers, who have much in common with their earlier Hippy counterparts. A stunning revelation greets his return to 2052, and so the question he must solve is this: What changed, and when?

Although time travel stories often give me a headache – even the "Star Trek" folks had problems making sense of them over the years – "the Tim Machine" is a delightful romp, not only through time, but also through the political and social spectrum of American society since the 1970s. Many of the eras' hot-button topics are explored – gay rights, equal rights and war, for example – and patrons may be surprised by how little things have actually changed over the years. (Change often comes in small increments, I guess.)

What's NOT small, though, are the laughs – and they're well deserved.

"The Tim Machine" was written by the production's cast under the careful supervision of writer/director Nancy Hayden. (Additional writing is by Vivi Jona.) A co-founder of Hamtramck's Planet Ant and a regular on the main stage of The Second City, Hayden is a revered figure in the improv community. Although she's been away from the spotlight for awhile, "The Tim Machine" succeeds in part because of her sharp storytelling ability and the slick staging that keeps the show briskly moving at all times. Most notable is this: Every skit or scene has a fully developed beginning, middle and end that pays off with a bang rather than a whimper (something that doesn't always happen in shows such as this), and even the most random-seeming skit ties directly into the overall plot (another occasional flaw in similar shows). In short, it's a well-thought-out and well-told story. (Except I do have one minor complaint about the script: The cheap jokes about breasts cheapen the otherwise polished writing. But I'm probably showing my age here...)

Serving up the comedy is a well-oiled team of young improvisers, each of whom improves every time I see them.

Tim Kay – who plays Tim, of course – has an impressive set of tools that serves him well: a malleable face and limbs that seem to go in multiple directions at the same time. And his quick thinking and wit earned plenty of chuckles on opening night when lightning-fast costume changes didn't go quite so smoothly.

Then there's Gary Lehman, who thrives on playing odd and quirky characters – one of which earns big laughs in one of the most ingenious moments of the production: that of a horny neighbor who can't wait for the action to begin at a "key party." (You'll likely have to be of "a certain age" to remember what that is.)

In the same scene, Jenny Bloomer cracked me up fighting off Lehman's advances. And in a skit set inside a Wal-Mart, Bloomer's brief entrance (and outfit) and droll line delivery stole the scene from Lehman and their fellow actors.

Not to be outdone, ensemble members Heather Sejnowski, Sean May and Michelle Giorlando also had moments to shine as well.

Add to the mix the funky time machine by Tommy LeRoy, Michelle LeRoy's lighting and – I'm making an assumption here, since it's not credited in the program – the excellent choice in music (possibly) by Pete Jacokes, and the result is yet another original comedy I suspect will pack the house each night of its run at Go Comedy!

SHOW DETAILS: "The Tim Machine" continues at Go Comedy! Improv Theater, 261 E. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, Thursday-Friday through March 2. Tickets: $15. For information: 248-327-0575 or www.gocomedy.net.

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OTHER VOICES - REVIEWS: The Tim Machine - Go Comedy! Improv Theater

Read CAROLYN HAYES' review – Rogue Critic (Jan. 27, 2012)

Apartheid revisited in Detroit Rep drama

By John Quinn

Chicago playwright M. E. H. Lewis demonstrates a flair for mystery in her 2004 drama, "Burying the Bones." The play is unconventional from the get-go, but by the middle of the second act it's afire with "I did not see that coming" moments. The Detroit Repertory Theatre production, under the thoughtful direction of Leah Smith, sparks cause for reflection on some very current events.

As a typical American, I was aware of the South African system of apartheid and the brutal, repressive tactics by which it was enforced. Newspapers (remember those?) and television kept us abreast of the insurgency fostered by the African National Congress (ANC), and the imprisonment of resistance leaders like Nelson Mandela. We were shocked when Steve Biko, leader of the Black Consciousness Movement, was murdered in custody. We were relieved when, after years of negotiation, apartheid was dismantled and wounds could heal.

We didn't hear much about the aftermath, and some wounds can't heal. Lewis sets her play in 1996, two years after the dismantling began. We find a nation still broken and raw; long-divided peoples are struggling for both justice and reconciliation. Mae Mxenges (Monica J. Palmer) spends sleepless nights, unable to achieve "closure." Just as an aside, the "x" in her surname indicates the unique "click" in some African languages. Mae's sleepless nights are caused by the ghost of her husband, James (Lynch R. Travis), a high school teacher who was abducted five years earlier. James asserts he can't rest until Mae carries out her spousal duties: find his body and give it proper burial. "Death is a foreign language," he says. "I want you to translate it."

Mae is in denial, doesn't accept James is dead, and attributes the haunting to her lack of closure. She goes to the Reconciliation Commission, which is assessing amnesty for those responsible for violence under the old system. There she hears the testimony of Afrikaner Gideon Kroeg (Seth Amadei), the police lieutenant who interrogated her husband. Kroeg has done terrible things – a witness (Nelson Jones, Jr.) gives his personal account of torture. Nor is Kroeg repentant – he exhibits a casual contempt for the new order represented by the commission and for its advocates (Terri Andrews and Nicole Michelle Haskins). Act I ends with his claim that he did not murder James Mxenges. So, what happened to him?

"Burying the Bones" is full of emotions, ranging from gentle loving to brutal hatred. Smith and her ensemble hit just the right balance. Monica J. Palmer shines, and shines even brighter opposite Lynch R. Travis. These actors play silence as meaningfully as dialogue. A less likely, but very effective pairing is Amadei with Madelyn Porter, who plays Cassandra, Mae's elder sister. A registered nurse thrown out of work by terrorist attack, Cassie falls back on her herbalist training to earn a living for herself and Mae. She meets the still racist Kroeg while working for the Commission. Their mutual contempt oddly bonds them.

There is a pleasing unity of design in "Burying the Bones." Harry Wetzel's set does not change, its multiple playing areas are defined by Thomas Schraeder's tight lighting. As a result, the direction is very fluid. Judy Dery's costumes are in subdued earth tones. In all, the designs reflect the bleakness of the script.

Bleak it is. Can reconciliation occur when the meanings of "police," "terrorist" or "freedom fighter" can blur, depending on who is using them? Closure doesn't imply resolution, but there's hope. There's always hope.

SHOW DETAILS: 'Burying the Bones' continues at the Detroit Repertory Theatre, 13103 Woodrow Wilson, Detroit, Thursday-Sunday through March 18. Tickets: $17-20. For information: 313-868-1347 or www.detroitreptheatre.com.

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OTHER VOICES - REVIEWS: Burying the Bones - Detroit Repertory Theatre

Read SAMANTHA WHITE's review - The Oakland Press (Jan. 18, 2012)

Read CAROLYN HAYES' review - Rogue Critic (Jan. 27, 2012)

Read ROBERT DELANEY's review - New Monitor (Jan. 26, 2012)

Read JOHN MONAGHAN's review – Detroit Free Press (Jan. 19, 2012)

'Quartet' works as a revue, not a musical

By Bridgette M. Redman

"Million Dollar Quartet" attempts to capture a moment in music history, a moment that did not in itself change anything, but rather showed a picture of how music was evolving and what the culture would become. Its strength is in recreating that picture while its weakness is in attempting to be something more than a snapshot.

As performers, the actors portraying the million-dollar quartet of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis surpass mere imitation and believably portray these superstars of early rock 'n' roll. Lee Ferris gives Perkins a chip on his shoulder while playing a mean guitar. Derek Keeling is the somber and respectful "man in black" with the deep, reverberating voice of Cash. Martin Kaye is a splashy Jerry Lee Lewis whose flamboyant confidence blinds him to how his hillbilly behavior blackens his reputation amongst even the other Southern boys. Billy Woodward walks the most delicate line, creating an Elvis Presley that is true to the superstar's look and sound without being a cheesy imitator of the type found at state fairs and country western bars.

All four build their characters around the hook that made these figures distinctive and memorable. What truly wins the audience over, however, is their ability to jam to the greatest hits as sung in the surviving recordings of this impromptu jam session. When Sam Phillips, played by Christopher Ryan Grant, says he knew upon hearing them play that he had his next hit, he is extremely credible. Each of these actors is a musician first, and they rock hard with both their voices and their instrument of choice.

The instruments take a pounding all night as Kaye slams on the keyboard and then jumps onto the piano itself in an exuberance that cannot be contained. Chuck Zayas as the bass player Jay Perkins spins his bass, uses it as a percussion instrument and eventually holds it while the other singers climb upon it.

Were the musical simply a revue or a true recreation of that Dec. 4, 1956 session in which the four musical legends gathered to play at Sun Records studio, "Million Dollar Quartet" might have been more effective. However, it attempts to be more than a jukebox musical by imposing a story with conflicts that feel forced and a moodiness that conveys melancholy rather than excitement or fun. The characters, particularly Elvis' girlfriend Dyanne, played by Kelly Lamont, keep having to tell us how much fun everyone is having in the jam session. If they didn't, no one would think the musicians were enjoying themselves for the tensions are constantly heightened and there is little that dispels the sense of tragedy overhanging each of these people's lives.

It becomes the story of Sam Phillips more than any of the individual rockers, which is fitting given his story is probably the least known and allows for the dramatic attention to be equal to each of the four legends rather than picking one of them to highlight. However, there is too much of his story to cram into the space of a single recording session without making the script heavy-handed and overdone.

If one can discount the story and set aside a need for "Million Dollar Quartet" to be anything other than a revue, then the night is filled with incredible performances that exquisitely capture the launch of rock 'n' roll in America.

SHOW DETAILS: 'Million Dollar Quartet' continues at Wharton Center for the Performing Arts at Michigan State University, East Lansing, daily through Jan. 15. Tickets: $30 and up. For information: 1-800-Wharton or www.whartoncenter.com.

"Million Dollar Quartet" then moves to Broadway Grand Rapids at DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave., Grand Rapids, Jan. 17 - 22. Tickets: $27.50 and up. For information: 1-800-745-3000 or www.broadwaygrandrapids.com.

The production then concludes its Michigan run at The Fisher Theatre, 3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, Jan. 24-Feb. 5. Tickets: $29-$79. For information: 313-872-1000 or www.broadwayindetroit.com.

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OTHER VOICES - REVIEWS: Million Dollar Quartet - Wharton Center, DeVos Performance Hall & Fisher Theatre

Read DANIEL SKORA's review - New Monitor (Feb. 2, 2012)

Read JOHN MONAGHAN's review – Detroit Free Press (Jan. 29, 2012)

Read VIVIAN DEGAIN's review – The Oakland Press (Jan. 27, 2012)

Read PATTY NOLAN's review – Detroit Theater Examiner (Jan. 26, 2012)

Read CHARLSIE DEWEY's review – Revue West Michigan (Jan. 18, 2012)

Read LORILEE CRAKER's review – The Grand Rapids Press (Jan. 18, 2012)

Read EMILY CASWELL's review – MLive Lansing Entertainment (Jan. 12, 2012)

Read ALLAN I. ROSS' review – City Pulse (Jan. 11, 2012)

'God of Carnage': When good people go bad

By John Quinn

Civilized adults acting like spoiled brats may be fodder for that senseless entertainment genre and total oxymoron, "reality TV." Whether its popularity is due to a "there but for the grace of God" self-righteousness or the morbid fascination of a traffic accident is not relevant. The point is that bad behavior can actually be entertaining when scripted by Yasmina Reza, as her sizzling comedy "God of Carnage" heats up The Jewish Ensemble Theatre these cold winter nights.

Consider two families, both with 11 year old sons, living in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn. In a playground squabble, Benjamin hit Henry with a stick, breaking a couple of his teeth. Our scene opens at Henry's home, as his parents, Michael (Joseph Albright) and Veronica (Sarab Kamoo), prepare to host Ben's parents. They would be Alan (Phil Powers), a busy and rather self-centered attorney, and Annette (Suzi Regan), into "wealth management," presumably Alan's. The couples tactfully dance around the issue at hand, exchanging small talk as polite strangers are wont to do, but conflicting opinions lead to utterly irrational arguments. In short, we learn that bad apples don't fall far from the family tree. Far from being capable of disciplining their children, they can't even discipline themselves.

What make Reza's script a complex, satisfying work are the fluid loyalties evident. As the arguments grow more heated and off-topic, unlikely alliances spring up and are just as quickly severed. What might have been a couple-to-couple, "us against them" evening is also a "men versus women" and "I agree with your spouse" evening. Played in a single act, "God of Carnage" packs a lot of comedy into a small package.

On the other hand, 90 minutes spent with really awful people would be too much like an extended episode of "Real Housewives" were it not for an exceptionally talented cast. The quartet is in top form; Suzi Regan and Sarab Kamoo, two very classy ladies, show a real flair for broad, physical comedy. Director David J. Magidson builds the madcap pace as manners fall by the wayside, leaving us about as breathless as the characters are when they finally come to terms with their personal foibles.

Monika Essen's soaring set is a tasteful nod to mid-century retro – clean, angular lines in black and white, punctuated with bright red upholstery. While the play is intimate enough to have been staged in the smaller Aaron DeRoy Theatre, also on the campus of the Jewish Community Center, Essen's sense of scale and balance retains the spaciousness of The Berman stage without upstaging the actors. In addition, the acoustics of the Berman Theatre are excellent. If the attendance opening night is sustained, the choice of the larger house was the right one.

"God of Carnage" is a parable for our time. We have a primitive core papered over by social convention. As Michael puts it in the play, we're "(expletive) Neanderthals." For those of you who insist on letting the shaggy side show, TLC Network has a reality series with your name on it.

SHOW DETAILS: The Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company's 'God of Carnage' continues at The Berman Center for the Performing Arts, 6600 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield, Dec. 18-22 & Dec. 28, 29, 31 & Jan. 1. Tickets: $36-$43. For information: 248-788-2900 or www.jettheatre.org.

The production then moves to Performance Network Theatre, 120 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor, Thursday-Sunday, Jan. 12 – Feb. 19, 2012. (Previews Jan. 12-15 & 19; $22-$32.) Tickets: $25-$41. For information: 734-663-0681 or www.performancenetwork.org.

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OTHER VOICES - REVIEWS: God of Carnage - The Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company and Performance Network Theatre

Read ANGIE M. LAI's review - Heritage Newspapers (Jan. 26, 2012)

Read DANIEL SKORA's review - New Monitor (Jan. 26, 2012)

Read PATTY NOLAN's review – Detroit Theater Examiner (Jan. 21, 2012)

Read JENN McKEE's review – AnnArbor.com (Jan. 21, 2012)

Read RONELLE GRIER's review – The Oakland Press (Dec. 28, 2011)

Read JOHN MONAGHAN's review – Detroit Free Press (Dec. 22, 2011)

Read CAROLYN HAYES' review – Rogue Critic (Dec. 20, 2011)

'Inishmaan' - not a bad place to visit

By Donald V. Calamia

Remember in the not-so-distant past when Michigan's film incentives brought plenty of excitement to towns all across the state? Well, multiply that reaction by at least three and the result is Martin McDonagh's "The Cripple of Inishmaan," a dark, Irish comedy that explores the tight bonds forged by individuals, families and their communities – and the fear of breaking them – now playing at Detroit's Hilberry Theatre.

On a small Irish island circa 1934 – where gossip consists mostly of news about local barnyard animals – local blabbermouth Johnnypateenmike (Brent Griffith) arrives at the general store owned by sisters Kate (Sara Hymes) and Eileen (Lorelei Sturm) with astonishing news: a Hollywood film company will soon shoot a documentary in the nearby town of Inishmore. So siblings Bartley (Joshua Blake Rippy) and Helen (Megan Dobbertin) hire Babbybobby (Christopher Ellis) to ferry them across the water to observe the day's events. When Billy (David Sterrit) learns of their plans, he decides to go along – but for an entirely different reason: Billy, you see, is known as "Cripple Billy" because of a birth defect, and the 18-year-old orphan (who has lived most of his life with his two "aunts") views this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to escape what's left of his sad, short life.

As with many dark, Irish comedies, death lurks along the fringes of "Inishmaan." McDonagh's play is deeper than that, however: It's an exploration into the fabric that holds people together – even when it looks like there's little to bind them. And McDonagh's deeply layered script is filled with such relationships. (It's also littered with salty language, so be forewarned.)

Under Lavinia Hart's subtle direction, each actor creates a unique and fully developed character. And thanks to the fine dialect coaching of Michael J. Barnes, their Irish accents never waiver. (In fact, they're almost TOO realistic!)

Especially notable is Sterrit. Not only is his Cripple Billy consistent from start to finish, his demeanor immediately elicits a sympathetic response from the audience that helps propel the story to its conclusion. And you can't help but laugh at Rippy every time he appears on stage in search of "sweeties."

Scene changes are fast thanks to a utilitarian set design by Curtis Green. But a rather jarring lighting change in Act Two made me wonder whether or not designer Jon Weaver planned it that way.

If, as McDonagh repeats many times, Ireland is not a "bad place" to visit, the same holds true of "The Cripple of Inishmaan" at the Hilberry!

SHOW DETAILS: "The Cripple of Inishmaan" plays in rotating repertory at the Hilberry Theatre, Wayne State University, Detroit, through Feb. 4. Tickets: $12-30. For information: 313-577-2972 or www.hilberry.com.

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OTHER VOICES - REVIEWS: The Cripple of Inishmaan - Hilberry Theatre

Read ROBERT DELANEY's review - New Monitor (Dec. 8, 2011)

Read JOHN MONAGHAN's review - Detroit Free Press (Dec. 8, 2011)

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