THE PAIN AND THE ITCH: Comedy by Bruce Norris. Directed by Dale Albright. Custom Made Theatre Company, Gough Street Playhouse, 1620 Gough St. (at Bush), San Francisco, CA94109. Gough Street Playhouse is attached to the historic Trinity Episcopal Church 510-207-5774; www.custommade.org. January16- February 9, 2014
THE PAIN AND THE ITCH relieved at Custom Made Theatre
Play [rating:3] (5/5) : Set [rating:5] (5/5) Cast [rating:3] (5/5) Overall [rating: 4] (5/5)
Sex Therapist Ruth Westheimer (better known as Dr. Ruth) believes that a lesson taught with humor is a lesson learned well. Along with psycho/sexual therapy she also believes that viewing pornography can be a helpful stimulant to a relationship lacking passion. How are these words of wisdom applicable to The Pain and the Itch” a hilarious, thoughtful, confusing, uneven and yet fascinating production that is gracing the boards on Custom Made’s intimate three sided stage? Author Bruce Norris honed his playwrighting skills at Steppenwolf Theatre and his Clybourne Park won Pulitzer Prize for drama and the 2011 Tony Award for Best Play.
Be forewarned that if you are not familiar with the text/plot of this Bruce Norris 2006 play it will be well into the second act when relationships finally become defined and answers to some of the questions posited above almost make sense. Even then you will leave the theatre with unanswered questions. But you will have the answer to what animal/creature is gnawing on the avocados in the kitchen.
The action takes place in an unnamed locale in the upper-middle class home of Kelly (Karen Offereins) and Clay (Justin Gillman). She is the breadwinner and Clay is a stay-at-home male parent. A ‘creature’ has been gnawing on the avocados in the kitchen. Clay’s unreasonable reaction to the question of what this ‘creature’ could be aptly foreshadows the gnawing feeling that something is not right in this household.
That gnawing feeling builds bite by bite as the family unit shreds each other with caustic remarks that may have you squirming in your seat even though some members of the opening night audience were in hysterics. Other members of the family unit are the platitude spouting mother Carol (a superb Jean Forsman), martini swigging older brother and plastic surgeon Cash (Peter Townley), young energetic daughter Kayla (charming without having a single line of dialog Gabriella Jarvie) and a new born baby. Cash has brought a young sexy middle European ( Russian?) girlfriend Kalina ( over acting Eden Neuendorf) who has adopted all things American including maxing out her credit cards.
Dorian Lockett as Mr. Hadid
Then there is a Black Muslim taxie driver Mr. Hadid ((Dorian Lockett who steals the show with his exit speech). For an unexplained reason he has been brought into the household to hear/sort out the facts/lies generated by the family during the events of previous evening Thanksgiving dinner. It includes the revelation of Kayla’s nasty genital/? sexual rash hence the title The Pain and the Itch. Late in the play he has the players re-live the scene where the rash has been discovered in order to have a better understanding of the facts. This is an unnecessary writing conceit that is more confusing than explanatory.
All in all in two hours and ten minutes with an extended 10 minute intermission author Norris and the cast inundate us with vicious social inequities that need re-emphasizing. As Dr. Ruth insists, humor carries the lessons and in this play it is dark, dark humor. Oh yes, the pornography tapes are simulated (sound design Liz Ryder) not projected to the audience.
Staff/Crew: Director, Dale Albright; Stage Managers, Linda Y. Huang/Johanna Ruefl; Scenic Design/Build, Stewart Lyle; Lighting Design, Hamilton Guillen; Sound Design/Composition, Liz Ryder; Production Manager, Kevin Dunning.
Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of : www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com
