Reviewed by Judy Richter
Two all-too-human white cops
patrol the tough streets of Chicago in Keith Huff's "A Steady Rain," being given its West
Coast premiere by Marin Theatre Company. Denny (Khris Lewin) and Joey (Kevin Rolston) have been best friends since
kindergarten, and now they're partners on the police force.
The
voluble Denny loves his wife and two young sons, but he barely conceals his
prejudices against minorities. The quieter Joey is unmarried and lonely. He's
had serious problems with alcohol, but thanks in large part to Denny, he's
sober. While Denny is somewhat casually dressed in a polo shirt and leather
jacket, Joey wears a suit and tie (costumes by Maggie Whitaker).
Besides
being bigoted, Denny plays fast and loose with the rules, prospering in the
process. Joey apparently goes along with him, but he's trying to help Denny
overcome his prejudices so that they can be promoted to the detective bureau.
Everything
begins to catch up with Denny when he pushes a pimp too far, and the pimp
pushes back, shooting at Denny's home and seriously wounding his son. From then
on, Denny pursues the pimp relentlessly. In the meantime, the two cops make a
serious mistake in judgment. Things spiral more and more out of control,
leading to a tragedy that is, in a way, poetic justice.
All
of this takes place in about 90 minutes without intermission as the two
characters narrate their version of events under two overhead lights suspended
from grating and on a stage furnished with only two chairs (set by Andrew
Boyce with
lighting by Lucas Krech and sound by Chris Houston). Even though Denny is annoying, almost over the top in
his explosiveness, one can understand how love for his family motivates him.
Director
Meredith McDonough carefully ratchets up the tension and suspense in Huff's script. The
two actors are both terrific although one sometimes wishes that Lewin would
tone down some of Denny's excesses and speak more slowly to be understood
better. Otherwise, this is a powerful, engrossing, tightly written play that
provides much fodder for consideration of the characters' motivations, ethics
and morality.