The cast of The Homosexuals at NCTC: (l-r) Robert Rushin, Gabriel Ross, Alyssa Stone, Scott Cox, Daniel Redmond, Matt Weimer, Keith Marshall. Photos by Lois Tema
THE HOMOSEXUALS: COMEDY. By Phillip Dawkins. Directed by Arturo Catricala. New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA. 415-864-8972 or www.nctcsf.org May 16 – June 28, 2016
The Homosexuals a reverse Candide type journey at NCTC [rating:3]
New Conservatory Theatre Center’s (NCTC) production of Phillip Dawkins’ The Homosexuals brought to mind three previous plays that may have had more than a superficial influence on the plays structure and purpose. One of those plays is the 1934 Merrily We Roll Along by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart and the musical of the same name with book by George Furth and lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim. The structure of that played moves backward in time as does The Homosexuals that begins in 2010 ending the year 2000.
The other play is David Hare’s 1998 The Blue Room that was based on the French translation of La Ronde written by Arthur Schnitzler (1862–1931). Schnitzler’s play examines sexual mores and class ideology through a series of encounters between different pairs of players. Hare’s play is written in 10 scenes each with two characters with A meeting B and B meeting C etc. with A ending up in the final scene.
Phillip Dawkins has replaced the generalized “class ideology” with what may called the “homosexual ideology and mores.” He uses only six scenes, one each to introduce six gay characters and one straight female needed for completeness of the social class he is depicting.
It all begins in 2010 in New York City where semi-straight-laced Evan (Robert Rushin) is breaking up with his older lover, a flamboyant theater aficionado Peter (Matt Weimer). Evan refuses to accept the label of ‘homosexual” preferring instead to be known as “gay.” The verbal duel is quite bitchy and continues in scenes to come. The discussion of what defines “friends” outside of the sexual relationship begins here and is introduced in every scene.
In the next scene it is 2008 and Evan who is living with Peter has met British Mark (Daniel Redmond) who is Black, is in a sham marriage to obtain citizenship and is HIV positive but still engages in sex. . . only safe sex. That sexual relationship between protagonist Evan and British Mark is not to be since both are “top” men but they remain “friends.”
In Scene three it is 2006 and we meet the nerdy, insecure Michael (Gabriel Ross) who has problems getting laid, is in love with Evan but they only are platonic friends. This scene is not very well written, acted nor directed being a dreary uninteresting monolog by Ross ending act one on an ambiguous note. The comments at intermission were not complimentary.
Act two, with three top-notch scenes makes up for the doldrums of the first act curtain. It 2004 and we meet the most interesting female Tam(Alyssa Stone) who has given up a dull job teaching college students to take a position in an inner city High School. She is engaged to British Mark of scene two. Alyssa Stone gives a great performance as the proverbially fag-hag but in doing so shows a great deal of empathy and humor.
In 2002 Evan is working in an uptight job where being homosexual is not fully accepted and he has conformed to the heterosexual code of silence. In this terrific scene we meet macho Mark (Keith Marshall) who is living with up-and-coming theatre director Peter. Mark, a college professor of Art, is totally out of the closet and has won awards for his stance on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) issues. His verbal confrontation with young Evan (“Heterosexuals hate you!”) leads to physical altercation after which Evan storms out.
In the final scene (the year 2000) many of the loose ends depicted earlier are pulled together with a very satisfying ending with the entire cast on stage. Throughout the play there is the mention of Collin (Scott Cox) being a friend/lover of the protagonist Evan whose life we having seeing in reverse order. A 21 year old Evan has been picked up by Michael and brought along to a party given by the so far unseen, but oft mentioned, Collin. It is the beginning of Evan’s reverse Candide type journey.
With the one exception, the cast is excellent and convey specificity in their characterizations while at the same time projecting the generalities of the homosexual community during the 10 year span of the play from 2000 to 2010. Running time 2 hours and 30 minutes with a 15 minute intermission.
Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com
Robert Rushin, Gabriel Ross, Alyssa Stone, Scott Cox, Daniel Redmond, Matt Weimer, Keith Marshall. Photos by Lois Tema
