Dan's Papers - April 4, 2008 - review: 59E59 theaters

A trio of new plays opened recently at all three theaters housed at the 59E59 complex, where Primary Stages is the resident company on the main stage. The playwrights presented are a diverse sampling of talent, with tantalizing ideas, provocative themes and a good ear for contemporary dialogue.

Playwright Willy Holtzman returned to the main stage with his latest drama Something You Did along with two up and coming young writers: Garret Jon Grovenveld from San Francisco who is making his New York debut in Theater C with his poetic tale Missives, and one of Scotland's freshest voices, Simon Farquhar, whose acclaimed play, Rainbow Kiss is having its American Premierein Theater B.

Something You Did examines a radical character up for parole after serving 30 years in prison for accidentally killing an African-American cop during a '60s anti-war protest. The story asks some interesting questions about America's response to the unpopular Vietnam war that has many parallels to the war in Iraq, but makes no clear cut conclusions. Holtzman's story, set in today's post 9/11 world, is smart, clever and insightful, but flawed, as the drama becomes predictable in Carolyn Cantor's straight forward staging.

Tony Award winner Joanna Gleason, as the central character Alison, doesn't dig deep enough and as a result her conflicts with the other characters lack needed tension. Her general, naturalistic style does little to serve the text. She is at her best with the spunky prison guard Uneeq (Portia), but that relationship requires less. Her conflict with Gene (Victor Slezak) which forms the play's core, feels much too relaxed. Thirty years have passed since these two last met, but it feels like last week. The evening ultimately feels like much talk and not enough action.

Missives, an intriguing tale of friendship crisply directed by Elysabeth Kleinhans, is told in the form of letters slipped under neighboring doors. The clever device is a marvelous tool for the playwright's lyrical language, but proves to be its undoing as well when the light story turns dark and we discover just why Ben has "gone missing."

The friends, a white gay male named Ben (Richard Gallagher) and a black straight woman named Lia (Shamika Cotton), are challenged by the men in their lives and escape into their shared obsession with a daytime soap, "Through the Hourglass." The performances are sincere and heartfelt, but Groenveld never has the two missive writers, Ben and Lia, meet face to face, giving the evening a feeling reminiscent of Tennessee Williams' early memory plays. Tresser and Randall fare better under Kleinhans's clearly focused direction of their scenes. The evening's dramatic failings aside, however, Groenveld proves himself an entertaining playwright of considerable merit.

Rainbow Kiss, Farquhar's impressive debut play (previously written for radio) is a dark tale, which "caused a sensation" when it premiered at the Royal Court in London. Now presented by The Play Company, the New York premiere directed by Will Frears and starring Peter Scanavino is a dazzling production that is both gripping and provocative. Scanavino plays Keith, a single father with an 8 month old son, working at a dead end job as a telephone operator, when a one night stand with Shazza (Charlotte Parry) turns his world upside down. Fueled by their gritty performances and the intensity of Keith's growing obsession, the play is a disturbing ride that makes many points about the nature of survival in our materialistic culture. Scanavino is absolutely dynamic! He embodies Keith, giving him an all consuming inner life that culminates in a horrifying bloody conclusion. The evening is not for the faint of heart.

For a performance schedule at 59E59 Theaters, 59 East 59th Street just off Park Avenue or to purchase tickets call 212-279-4200

Theater critics Barry Gordin and Patrick Christiano are members of the Drama Desk. Barry is an internationally renowned photographer and Patrick is artistic director of SilvaRoad Productions. Visit their website at www.theaterlife.com.