Edward McCloud, Rose Roberts
Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo
Photos by Eric Chazankin
Misery Loves Company
“Happy” by acclaimed English playwright Robert Caisley is one of the most provocative, powerful and disturbing new plays ever presented at 6th Street Playhouse. Caisley is now based at the University of Idaho teaching theatre, film and dramatic writing. One of his earlier plays, “Front”, received the 1996 Kennedy Center/Fourth Freedom Forum Award for playwriting. Both “Front” and “Happy” have been picked up for publication by the Samuel French Company. Now, in a series of openings called a “rolling world premiere”, four American theaters – the Montana Rep in Missoula, the New Theatre in Miami Florida, 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, and New Jersey Rep in Long Branch – are each in turn presenting unique productions of this original play over the 2012-2013 season. These premieres are in collaboration with the National New Play Network, which allows the playwright time to refine his work after seeing it produced with different directors and casts.
The tale unfolds in the city loft of offbeat Spanish artist Eduardo, which is lavishly decorated with modern sculpture pieces and paintings. He has invited his longtime friends Alfred and wife Melinda over for a simple dinner and conversation, and to meet his newest lady love, the young and beautiful Eva. Alfred arrives early, with Melinda still on her way and Eduardo nowhere in sight. Only Eva is at home, and it’s not long before we realize this will not be your typical evening of casual chit-chat. Eva launches immediately into a series of pathological cat-and-mouse mind games, slinking about the stage in a bath towel and gulping tumblers full of gin. She zeroes in with laser-like precision on what she perceives as Alfred’s “fake” sense of contentment with his life. Eva’s apparent mission is to strip away the veneer and make people see “reality”, on her terms. The others soon arrive, but not after some serious damage has been done. Everyone gets a major attitude adjustment after an evening with Eva. She’s a good cook who likes serving up a little sadism with the shish kebab. The story has a compelling build and dramatic flow, but also has an oddly comic tone. The many laugh-inducing moments are a setup for the tragedies to come, and come they do.
Brian Glenn Bryson, Liz Jahren
Rose Roberts delivers a fearless, tour-de-force performance as the seductive, brutal Eva. From the very beginning, Roberts overwhelms the stage with mesmerizing authority. She reveals Eva’s deep, gut-level pain showing through her own veneer – cruel sarcasm – which she wields like a dagger to cut others down to size. We know this girl will soon end up either in the psycho ward, or in the morgue, and we can’t take our eyes off of her.
Edward McCloud as Alfred has a challenging task. He is forced to turn from blissful unawareness to face the unhappiness of his life head-on, like a car crash that he must survive. We see ourselves in him, which seems to be the intent of the playwright, and the actor has fulfilled this promise. Alfred’s slightly ditzy but lovable wife Melinda is played by Liz Jahren, who brings a delightful sort of new-age earth-mother quality to her character. Jahren, who works with special-needs students, is able to find an authentic connection with Melinda’s love for their disabled daughter. Eduardo provides comic relief as portrayed by Brian Glenn Bryson, with lots of charm and appeal. Eduardo is an expressive man, with big emotions and big appetites. He serves as the bridge between the cruelty of Eva and the near-delusional optimism of Alfred and Melinda. There is also a vague suggestion that he may have engineered the whole evening, but it’s not clear, and may be one of several elements that needs refinement. “Happy” is a work in progress, and in some respects, it shows.
Lennie Dean is known to 6th Street audiences for her brilliant work on last season’s original production “Tennessee Menagerie” which was, like “Happy”, performed at 6th Street’s black box Studio Theater. It features an open thrust stage, which allows the audience a view from three sides. Dean makes us forget how small this stage is. As with “Menagerie”, she employs every corner of the space. She effectively makes use of the combined visual impact of the set and sculpture pieces, and the actors’ movements. The set design by Jesse Dreikosen includes original artwork by internationally recognized sculptor Boback Emad and other artists. Many of the set pieces are for sale, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit 6th Street. Splendid lighting design by April George and costumes by Liz Smith provide the perfect environmental touches.
We all know someone like Eva, or Eduardo, or Alfred and Melinda. Whether anyone is happy or not, who can say? Some believe that happiness is freedom from all desire. Some, like Eva, believe you can’t be happy unless you drag everyone around you down to your level. As it turns out, happiness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. “Happy” will certainly make you think about it, long after you walk out of the theater.
When: Now through April 21, 2013
8:00 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday
2:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Tickets: $10 to $25
Location: Studio Theater at 6th Street Playhouse
52 West 6th Street, Santa Rosa CA
Phone: 707-523-4185
Website: www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
