AISLE SAY Florida
PERFECT MENDACITY
by Jason Wells
Directed by Michael Donald Edwards
Asolo Repertory Theatre in the Cook Theatre
Florida State University Center for the Performing Arts
5555 N. Tamiami Tr., Sarasota, 941-351-8000
World Premiere, May 15 through June 14, 2009
Reviewed by Marie J. Kilker
Fear has
a face: It's David Breitbarth's
as microbiologist Walter Kreutzer, hooked up to what he considers an
infernal machine. Nevertheless, the polygraph could be key to freeing
him from a Kafka-esque situation. He's hired D'Avore Peoples
(authoritative, articulate, amusing DeMario
McGrew) to teach him mastery over the machine. So as not to
justify being accused of a crime, he wants to be able to deny any
connection to an immoral covert political situation. Moreover, his
lifetime career will be shattered if he is found to have helped,
consciously or not, to leak the horror to media and thus the public. As
expert Peoples smoothly and with affable humor elaborates on polygraph
principles and test taking tricks, Walter remains uptight. Though he
agrees to "practice" at home, there his dilemma deepens.
Should he lie to preserve his status in a corrupt organization, Walter
would jeopardize his marriage, since his wife Samira (expressive Diana Simonzadeh), from Morocco,
feels personally the racism and imperialism he's mixed up with. When
she was sure he'd brought home the important memo and left it
unguarded, she assumed he needed help bringing it to light. Yet the
tension between spouses is now almost unbearable. And a visit from
Walter's colleague Roger (Douglas Jones,
slick, feigning friendship) certainly doesn't help.
Playwright Jason Wells
textures his plot skillfully with tragicomic scenes in which Walter is
questioned. Practicing with McGrew's cool polygraph expert, he's
petrified by a surprise query and---"as a scientist"---reveals
anti-semitic attitudes. Racist ones make him blame the machine and its
administrator. When Walter later suspiciously questions his wife, she
responds he'll consider her "a crazy Arab." Another surprise comes to
Walter after his official polygraph exam. He has to submit to another
test, administered by the sinister Dr. Doll (yet always smiling Jason Peck). The result is one that
would have done Kafka proud. Both Wells and director Michael Donald Edwards have every
right also to take pride in this provocative, beautifully structured
play and world premiere production.
It is good to see David Breitbarth, after a series of lesser rep roles
this season, take impressive command of the leading one here. Scene
designer Jeffrey Dean's mostly gray sets (except for the Kreutzer
apartment) with only necessary furniture, under skylight squares that
admit no sun, fit the play's mood well. Aaron Muhl's lighting is subtly
designed, as is sound by Kevin Kennedy. An Arabic legend over all was a
mystery to me.
Marian Wallace is stage manager of
the nearly 2 hour production that includes a 15 minute intermission.
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