|
A Soldier's Death an Existential Treat
Thirteenth Street Rep's production of Tom O'Neil's newest play is a brilliantly dark, surreal exploration of one warrior's struggle with family, mortality and destiny.
by
James Kass
December 8, 2002 |
It seems almost wrong to enjoy so thoroughly a play about war and death. Thanks to the outstanding performances at the Thirteenth Street Repertory Company's production of Tom O'Neil's newest one-act work, A Soldier's Death, any guilt quickly melts away. The show is a dark, existential exploration of the life and demise of a lone casualty in his last moments. O'Neil's carefully crafted tale is thought provoking and expertly presented by a talented cast.
A Soldier's Death opens with Adam (portrayed by Tim Cox) on the ground, in the dark and mortally wounded by a faceless enemy on an unnamed battlefield. In shock and in denial about the seriousness of his wounds, he drifts into a surreal world inhabited by his parents (Jennifer Johnson and Bruce Borman) and his kid sister (Brianna Hansen). Unable to stand from his injuries, Adam is orbited by the other characters throughout the production. The visions are soon visited by two soldiers (Liche Ariza and Blake Catherwood) who have been dispatched to retrieve their fallen brother-in-arms.
Tim plays Adam with a naiveté about his predicament, accepting the illogical as normal with a complete lack of bitterness. That naiveté and sweetness instantly endears Adam to an audience that knows from the very beginning - thanks to the play's title - that this is a dead or dying man.
Brianna Hansen's performance as Adam's sister, Jane, is energetic - perfectly capturing the know-it-all, almost schizophrenic attitude of a typical teen girl. Hansen's gift is that she masterfully pulls it off with atypical flair. Alternating between vulnerable and omniscient, her performance enhances the surrealistic atmosphere. Jane's giddy bragging about her lost virginity - a sharp contrast to the death going on in the war zone around them - seems to affect her brother more than his injuries.
Adam's mother, portrayed with tragic complexity by Jennifer Johnson, is struggling with her own wounds and pain while trying to be the strong matriarch. With morbid fascination, we watch as her façade crumbles and the reality of her circumstance overwhelms her. It is an emotionally potent performance. Bruce Borman's depiction of Adam Sr. is equally emotional, but brilliantly muted in comparison. Himself burdened with the scars of war, he struggles to find peace despite the phantom scents of battles past. Bruce's low-key approach makes the moments where Adam Sr.'s frustration overtakes him even more powerful.
The real power comes from the final moments of the play, when we are treated to Liche Ariza and Blake Catherwood as the two soldiers sent to bring Adam's body back home. Liche's performance of Rawlins is simply captivating. Convinced that he should be the casualty - not Adam - he breaks down under the stress. By contrast, Blake's character Jack has become so numb by the death and destruction around him that he would rather sleep than discuss the hell that surrounds them. There is a subplot that Jack has a racist streak in him, which adds to the tension between him and Rawlins. The irony of this is that they are both identically masked in green camouflage paint.
Director Tony Pennino does a fantastic job of controlling the pacing, with rapid-fire dialogue reminiscent of machineguns on the battlefield intertwined with perfectly placed pauses for maximum dramatic effect. Gavin Smith's lighting is quite effective, adding a palpable layer of emotion, especially during the play's final tragic tableau.
Tom O'Neil's script never gives anything away. It reveals exactly enough to make you think, exactly enough to make you care, and exactly enough to allow each audience member come away with their own unique take on the life and death of one soldier.
A Soldier's Death by Tom O'Neil. Produced by The Thirteenth Street Repertory Company. Directed by Tony Pennino. Starring (in alphabetical order): Liche Ariza, Bruce Borman, Blake Catherwood, Tim Cox, Brianna Hansen and Jennifer Johnson. Runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, October 17th, 2002 - January 11th, 2003 at 7pm at the Thirteenth Street Repertory Company, 50 West 13th Street. Tickets: $15.00, $10.00 for Seniors or Students with ID. Reservations: (212) 675-6677 or through TheaterMania.com. For more information, visit http://www.13thStreetRep.org |
James Kass is the Features Editor and Content Supervisor of My8by10.com. |
|
|
|
| MOST RECENT ARTICLES IN THIS CATEGORY |
|
|
| JUMP TO ANOTHER CATEGORY: |
|
|
Copyright © 2002 My8by10.com. All rights reserved. No portion of the above article may be reprinted, posted elsewhere on the internet, or otherwise transmitted without express written permission from My8by10.com and the article's author. |
|
