“Appropriate” at Trinity Rep

By Richard Pacheco

            Branden Jacobs-Jenkins play “Appropriate” is furiously funny and disturbing at the same time, a riveting piece of theater deftly performed by a strong cast. It is a massively dysfunctional family in full tilt, full speed ahead spare no energy. It is a rambunctious free for all with no holds barred as this family gets together to settle the property of their dead father and end up unearthing some dark secrets long hidden and perhaps best kept hidden.

           

This three-hour extravaganza rampages along like a runaway train barreling through anything or anyone in its path. The first hour is a blood fest of hurled insults anti Semitic jibes that makes the current presidential race almost look tame. The family is inexorably drawn into the past and their dead father’s apparent sins, which come to light and their own failings and inept relationships with each other. All sorts of hidden racism rises to the surface like lava from a volcano, oozing everywhere. Digging through the trash the family finds more trash and embarrassing moments from their past. There are remnants which appear in photos.

            There is no real revelation about the dead old man thought, more mere speculation and intriguing dark corners to his life kept hidden until now.

            There are some winning performances here throughout.  Phyllis Kay is an angry and bitter divorce, the sister Toni, who both regrets and resents sacrificing her life to taking care of the ailing dad and her alcoholic and drug addicted brother Frank. She can be merciless going after anything or anyone in her sights including Frank’s equally hippy fiancé 23 year old River. Kay is often hilarious as in the scene where she is totally drunk and even more merciless with her well-aimed barbs. Kay delivers an impeccable performance that is a delight to watch.

            Fred Sullivan Jr. as Beauregarde is the epitome of a southern gentleman at a loss and out of touch

with both his past and his father’s. He is robust and passionate in the role.

            Mauro Hantman is on target as the drug addled, and recovering drunk Frank (Francois) who is a totally mess but underneath appears to be kind, just out of touch and a kind of hippie. He seems to have little clue about how he has impacted other san kept his distance from the family and his past failings and there are many. It is a sharp and polished performance with many fine touches.

Angela Brazil is Beauregarde’s Jewish wife, the brunt of many anti Semitic verbal attacks from the other family members, often merciless. Her patience eventually dissipates under the relentless onslaught and she turns tail and attacks them back with rare viscous humor in a biting on target monologue where she rips the in laws to shreds.

Marina Morrisey is  Franks’ flower child like girlfriend River, who is a bit oblivious to the world around her and the people and atmosphere she finds herself drgeed in without warning or proper preparation. She is often innocent eyed and massively out of touch, convinced of her own vision ins spite of what she sees in front of her. It is an excellent performance, right on the mark.

The rest of the cast,Alec J. Weinberg as Rhys, Emeline Easton as Cassidy, Ronin W. Scott as Ainsley are all terrific.

Director Brian Mertes keeps is all moving despite its length and keeps his eye on the offbeat and the bizarre which he emphasizes. The set by Sara Brown emphasizes the dark, at times creepy decaying atmosphere of the dilapidated plantation with flair and style. Only the gauzy like screen that comes down between scenes is a bit annoying.

Yet for all its nearly rabid and pointed dialogue the family never really comes to terms with wither what their father did or even many of the things they did over the years.

It is well worth seeing for a hilarious and provocative play that is well acted and written.

"Appropriate" runs through Nov. 6 at Trinity Rep, 201 Washington St., Providence. Tickets are $25-$71. Call (401) 351-4242, or visit trinityrep.com.

           

“Billy Elliot” at Ocean State Theatre

By Richard Pacheco

           “Billy Elliot” was a huge Broadway hit garnering 12 Tony wins and the production at Ocean State is winning highlighting a star turn for the talented 12-year-old Matthew Dean who has some dazzling moments in dance in this somewhat long show.

It is a musical based 2000 film “Billy Elliot”. The music is by Elton John, and the book and lyrics are by Lee Hall, who wrote the film's screenplay. The plot revolves around motherless Billy, who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes. The story of his personal struggle and fulfillment are balanced against a counter-story of family and community strife caused by the UK miners' strike (1984–1985) in County Durham, in North Eastern England. Hall's screenplay was inspired in part by A. J. Cronin's 1935 novel about a miners' strike, “The Stars Look Down”, to which the musical's opening song pays homage.

There seems to be a split on focus between the gritty miner’s stroke and Billy’s disparate efforts to become a professional ballet dancer. The mixture of these two diverse things at times doesn’t quite gel into a complete and polished whole. Aimee Turner who directs doesn’t always manage to get that kind of melding of contradictory elements that might indeed be part the issue with the musical itself. One of the issues is one moment he ids unhappily in boxing class and then very shortly after that he is a stunning dancer. It seems an almost effortless transformation.

Michael Dean is a deft and talented dancer, full of finesse and capturing some wonderful dance moments. His mother owns a dance school in California. He has played the role before and will play it again in Phoenix. His voice is usually capable but not as outstanding as his dancing.

Christopher Swan plays his Dad with conviction and passion. He sings and impressive “Deep Into the Ground” in the second act.

Sarah Polen is Billy’s oddball grandma, a ball of energy and not all that stable with her family. She is a ball of energy with style and finesse.

Shannon Lee Jones is Billy’s dance teacher who takes a dedicated interest in helping the boy pursue his dreams.  While she is convincing in her dedication to Billy, she is not as convincing as a dancer or carrying herself as a dancer. Dancers have a certain poise and carriage which she does not show.

Tony Weisinger is Billy’s best friend who is fond of wearing dresses and kisses on the check. The character seems a bit muddled and not well defined.

Melissa Mc Kamie  as well as serving in the company does a turn as Billy’s dead mum. She shines in “The Letter.”

The choreography for Billy is often impressive and downright stunning. For the rest it is rather ordinary and pedestrian. The musical direction by John Jay Espino is usually right on the mark.

While the show won ten Tonys, it has some severe lapses in melding together the desperate elements of the miner’s stroke and Billy’s ambition. It is very long, about three hours and enjoyable enough with those considerations in mind.

"Billy Elliot" runs through Oct. 23 at Ocean State Theatre, 1245 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick. Tickets are $39-$59. Call (401) 921-6800, or visit oceanstatetheatre.org.