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January 27, 2013: "The Suit",
at BAM
Review by Kevin Martin "The Suit", going to
February 2nd at Brooklyn Academy of Music, is directed by the ageless wunderkind Peter Brook; created in collaboration
with Marie-Hélène Estienne with music arranged and done by Frank Krawczyk; this combination has proved to
be a sure-fire guarantee of creative enjoyment. As an 80 minute presentation by Brook's Théâtre des
Bouffes du Nord, "The Suit" focuses on adultery in the once lively, cultural locale of South Africa's black-inhabited
Sophiatown during the busy Aparthied years of five or six decades ago. Breaking the fourth wall of stage reality - to the
point of lively, enjoyable audience member participation done randomly - the cast is well acted through and through, and
led by William Nadylam as "Philomen" and Nonhlanhla Kheswa as "Matilda". As it goes, we find that
this loving couple's marital bliss is really not so blissful after all. For Matilda has a secret lover who very
handily stops by their humble, very poor, segregated abode (their toilet is down the street) for some serious copulation
whenever Philomen is gone to work. Alas, Philomen - indeed, a hard working husband - gets advised by a friend in the
vicinity that his wife is doing the hanky-panky in his daily absence; he makes a mad dash home only to find the male visitor
(well acted by Rikki Henry) successfully fleeing - though with no time to get dressed, thus literally leaving his suit behind.
This suit, therefore, becomes a regrettable presence in the damaged life of this couple. It turns out to be a very sad thing
for Matilda, as now her life shall never shed the self-made shame, which she helped to make possible. Within those confines
that entail mistakes of the flesh (very often from selfish decisions), Matilda's daily living will impose a new segregation
of sorts on this couple's limited existence: greater distance between two persons that may have once loved each other.
This gulf is their own newly crafted aparthied between two souls, one more sinful than the other. Philomen and Matilda
and a friend all offer their laments through the emotional reaches of occasional music and song - a touching measure that
metes out reminders of human sorrows (viz., Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit" sung wonderfully by Jared McNeill).
Alternately, during various domestic intervals following this marital breakdown, Philomen engages his faithless wife in
in a series of revenge exercises - as a way of venting his own rage, and this takes different forms. But, it must be
said, Philomen is truly sad over this broken love, to the point that he would take a friend's advice and forgive his
errant wife. For both of them, their own once exultant, respective dreams have now crumbled. As it is, Matilda will have
her own fate decided by other forces in nature, and I don't want to give that away here. "The Suit" is a nice
fit, - but with permanent makings and tears in the fabric of existence that serve as a simple reminder - for rich and poor
alike: infidelity is no laughing matter. Adding a fine balance to the production values of 'The Suit" is
the musical gifts of Arthur Astier, David Dupuis, and Raphael Chambouvet,—performing as part of the larger cast as
well. Further complementing the prodiction are the superb, atmospheric lighting by Philippe Vialatte, and fine sets and
costume design by Oria Puppo.
"The Suit", with: Nonhlanhla Kheswa,
Jared McNeill, William Nadylam and Rikki Henry.
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Review by Kevin Martin "Collision"
is a new play (full-length, thank-you-very much) by quick-witted, sharp-minded Lyle Kessler and very deftly directed by David
Fofi, presented by the Amoralists Company at the Rattlestick Theatre in the West Village. This is a fresh look at human manipulation,
a trait grandly self-fix'd upon by a group of scarred intellectuals in a college town dormitory - out there - somewhere
in American wonderland But this is very interesting story! I found it to be something of a study in modern soulless
behavior, proposing that what we get in the intriguing send up of shared scheming by this 'ol gang of ours is a exercise
in mind-screw, or emotion-screw agendas, and it gets screwier - and better, as the evening at Rattlestick moves along. In
doing so, what we find is a kind of mine field at cross-purposes with its own strewn devices in the form of groundless, albeit
explosive misfits - waiting at some point (and we can't know exactly when) , to go off. And they do go off- in both strange
and familiar ways. The main catalyst in this disfunctionally eerie interaction of American characters is one Grange,
cleverly done up by James Kautz as a voyeurish, masterly mind blower toward those he encounters - and he finds himself a few
willing. - should i say it (??), amoral accomplices. I am trying to not give away any of the great big details (there
are many interesting ones) centering further on the play's plot. Let it suffice that this is a study in 21st century middle
class emptiness, and done dramatically well, surprisingly well.The entire cast emits crisp, clear performances - and a particularly
enjoyable mention of appreciation goes to Craig muMS Grant as Renel - who knows all too well how life's underbelly of
daily head games is played. "COLLISION" runs through February 17
"Collision",
WITH: James Kautz (Grange), Nick Lawson (Bromley), Anna Stromberg (Doe), Michael Cullen (Professor Denton) and Craig muMs
Grant (Renel). PRODUCTION: Judy Merrick; assistant director, Michael J. Kessler; sets by Alfred Schatz; lighting
by Evan Roby; costumes by Jaime Torres; sound by Phil Carluzzo; produced by Derek Ahonen, Matt Pilieci, Kelcie Beene, Caroline
Hendrix and Denyse Owens ======================================================================================
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