Friday, March 22, 2013

"Social Creatures" at Trinity Rep




By Richard Pacheco
Trinity Repertory’s current production of Jackie Sibblies Drury’s “Social Creatures” is uproarious fun while it tackles a host of social issues from capitalism, to racism to a changing social world order. It oozes dark humor from every minute, sheer delight while it sometimes startles and shocks. Propelled by a terrific cast and wonderful direction it always involves, always delights from first minute to last. It is both intellectual and visceral simply satisfying.
In it, zombies slash vampires roam the streets of Providence while the few remaining survivors huddle inside Trinity Rep for safety. While hell brakes loose outside, the motley collection of survivors struggle to set up a new order in the face of total chaos and a disease that spreads on contact converting humans into sub human creatures who eat human flesh.
The play opens with a hilarious scene as husband and wife Mr. and Mr. Jones try to get the generator working. As the play moves on the other characters in this conclave of survivors appear. Mrs. Smith is distraught over his missing husband and more than a little bit unbalanced. Mr. Wilson is patient, kind and understanding, almost to a fault. Mr. Williams is very possessive of food, particularly what she considers hers. Mr. Johnson has a world weary practicality about him as he faces each new situation and an unmistakable individuality. Mr. Smith is the upper middle class husband MIA, now a wandering zombie. Mr. Brown, is an African American who wanders into the survivors nest and meets with a less than friendly reception.
Alexander Platt is Mr. Jones, a man working on his fourth wife, after losing his soul mate, wife number two. Mr. Platt is delightful as the often cringing, very subservient to his wife husband, struggling to make the most of a bad situation and his wife’s every increasing lust for power and control.
D’Arcy Dersham is wonderful as the frightened, power and control grabbing Mrs. Jones. She grows increasingly uptight and demanding of control the more she feels things are getting out of hand. It is not that she wants to be in charge, she feels someone must do what she is doing and that she is best suited for the task. Ms. Dersham handles the transitions in character from fear to dictatorial power thirst with skill and convincing grace.
Rebecca Gimel is Mrs. Smith, who unstable at best grows increasingly more and more peculiar as time goes by as she continually grows high and her little girl antics grow more disturbing with her feigned innocence. Ms. Gimel delivers a deliciously disturbed performance as she slips further and further into her drugged world and away from her surroundings.
Janice Duclos is Mrs. Wilson, a kind compassionate woman at a loss in the world she finds herself in which is too harsh and too unfair for her tastes and character. Ms. Duclos makes the character very appealing and personable a truly likeable person who struggles with the overbearing injustice she finds around herself. It is a captivating performance.
Nance Williamson is her roommate, Mrs. Williams. Mrs. Williams is brash, outspoken and feisty. She has little tolerance for being bullied  about and believes what is hers is hers, not party of any communal coffer. Ms. Williamson is wonderful in the role totally convincing and honest in her portrayal.
Charlie Thurston is Mr. Smith, a one time upper middle class doting husband, but now a wandering zombie. He appears in Mr. Smith’s hallucinations, having escaped the sanctuary where they all cluster and ventured into the vile and polluted world outside. Mr. Thurston is solid and persuasive in the role.
Timothy Crowe is the practical and very ornery and crotchety Mr. Johnson. He lived with his 95 year old mother before all hell broke loose and is proud of being a Rotarian. Mr. Crowe is flawless as the cranky, down to earth man.
Darien Battle is Mr. Brown, a thirty’s working class guy who thinks he gets along with everyone until he blunders into this little conclave. Mr. Battle is endearing and outstanding as the African American who finds himself subject to immediate prejudice and persecution from the moment of his arrival.
All the actors get a wonderful monologue wherein they go into some of their past and give an insight into who they are now. These are universally winning and excellent.
Director Curt Columbus keeps everything moving merrily along with a keen eye to the dark humor which abounds throughout this terrific play. He evokes the best out of his actors, making it all highly memorable.
Eugene Lee’s set design is wonderful, ably capturing a dreary, dank back area with an isolation booth stuck in the middle. Olivera Gajic’s  costume designs are right on the mark. The Josh Epstein lighting makes it all eerie and ominous right from the first. The sound and video design by Peter Sasha Hurowitz add an extra effective element to the tale.

“Social Creatures” is an offbeat apocalyptic comedy about how we deal with extreme crises and what comes out of our personalities. For some it is a grasping control to try and control a situation out of control and deadly.  For others it is a willingness to go along to keep the peaces. Some drift into madness and irrationality. Others remain eminently practical. Still other hoard food or offer understanding and kindness in the face of ever increasing darkness and danger. And a hapless one blunders into prejudice and discrimination in dire times through no fault of his own. All the whiles this unfolds the humor is raucous, rich and dark, a real treat. “Social Creatures” is a fantastic play brought vividly to life by a strong and vibrant cast. It has the kind of humor you find in films like “Sean of the Dead” or “Zombieland” with a closer look at social mores under stress.
The strong and unusual play, a superb cast, and excellent production values make this a must see. There is one caveat, there is some gore in the second act during a zombie attack.
It will be presented at Trinity Rep from March 14 until April 21. Call 401-351-4243 seven days a week.  Walk up sales are available at the 201 Washington St. box office Tuesday-Sunday 12-8pm. $36-$70. For information on group discounts for parties of 20 or more contact Group Sales at 401-351-4242 or online at online at: http://www.trinityrep.com

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