THE THEATER MIRROR, New England’s LIVE Theater Guide
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MARQUEE | USHER | SEATS |
INTERMISSION | CURTAIN |
note: entire contents copyright 2005 by Carl A. Rossi
Green Eyes … Michael Nurse
Lefranc … Amar Srivastava
Maurice … Geoffrey Parrish
The Guard … Paul Shafer
The trouble with Jean Genet today is that he is no longer shockable --- such topics as men loving and lusting amongst each other, especially those in prison, don’t raise the same kind of eyebrows as they once did (even the anger emanating from Mr. Genet’s THE BLACKS is different from the anger felt by African-Americans, today). Mr. Genet’s first play DEATHWATCH is precisely that --- a deathwatch --- as cellmates Green Eyes, Georgie and Maurice await the day when Green Eyes is to be executed for killing a woman. While they wait, the trio endlessly shift their loyalties and rivalries, squabble over Green Eye’s unseen girlfriend, and attempt to dominate one another in a mutual hell akin to Mr. Sartre’s NO EXIT --- Death comes to one of the men, unexpectedly. Even though DEATHWATCH is dated, it can still work if a production can capture the play’s stink, the degradation and the cruel voluptuousness of waiting for Mr. Genet’s poetry blooms best amidst garbage, maggots and manure. Will Act for Food’s production is rather tame but will do, for now: under Lisa Hackman’s direction, Mr. Genet’s world is more of a rowdy night in an army barracks rather than Man returning to his primal state; apart from a genuinely erotic moment when Maurice strokes a tattoo on Green Eye’s bared midriff, the audience’s eyebrows remain firmly in place. (If you want the true Genet flavor, hunt down his uncensored film classic UN CHANT D’AMOUR which is sordid and brutal and beautiful --- your eyebrows will be given a workout, indeed.)
But come see this DEATHWATCH for its actors, each one memorable in his own right. I had last seen Michael Nurse nearly three years ago in the Ubiquity Stage’s RIFF RAFF and remembered his weary, paternal warmth; said warmth is now mixed with a dangerous, rascally power for his Green Eyes and Mr. Nurse’s impressive baritone is ideal for an Emperor Jones. Thrice now in the past few months have I seen Amar Srivastava as a snarling Other which has yet to grate on me as Mr. Srivastava puts his all into his villains even when he winds up shouting in a congested upper register; his Georgie is the type of man who is creepier when he smiles than when he scowls. Geoffrey Parrish, a recent acting graduate, is weirdly enchanting as Maurice, going from the kittenish to the ferrety in a hair’s width. Two Decembers ago I saw Paul Shafer play the Mother role in a college production of Mr. Weill’s THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS where he was an amusing, well-sung caricature; his immoral Guard is a smug, goofy Nobody trying to pass as a Somebody.
Not surprisingly, the Devanaughn Theatre’s bricks make for a convincing prison cell and Ms. Hackman’s final tableau defies applause and curtain calls. Should you attend, bring along a non-perishable food item; Will Act for Food’s name comes from its taking donations to help out those in need.