Tiny Dynamite By Abi Morgan Directed by Matt Torney At 59E59 Theater C Reviewed by David Roberts, Chief Critic Theatre Reviews Limited
Guilt-ridden by something he said that changed his life, the life of his boyhood friend Anthony and a woman they both loved, Lucien periodically reclaims Anthony from “the gutter,” cleans him up, vacations him, wines and dines him, and hopes to heaven unresolved memories will not spoil the fun of unresolved confession, forgiveness, and redemption.
In his most recent attempt to take care of Anthony, Lucien takes him to a vacation retreat where they cryptically re-visit whatever it was that happened years past that sent Lucien to success and Anthony to despair. Complicating the cryptic cacophony is a visit from Madeleine who reminds them of the woman from the past who (perhaps) committed suicide by jumping off a bridge.
Throughout “Tiny Dynamite,” Lucien and Anthony experience memory moments which result in a “kapow” from one or the other or, sometimes, both. “Kapow!” A perhaps tiny dynamite explosion of a shared moment of joy or grief. “Kapow” also has an urban meaning: the sound made during an especially powerful bitch slap. Lucien and Anthony harbor a haunting disrespect for one another. Disrespect not worthy of proffering man-sized punches but more subtle (and often more damaging) bitch slaps. Lucien and Anthony have damaged each other and bandaged each other all their lives and each knows there has to be an end to all the damaging and all the bandaging. They know there must be an ultimate kapow, and ultimate bitch slap to life’s unforgiving curb.
Christian Conn (Lucien), Blake DeLong (Anthony), and Olivia Horton (Madeleine) grace Maruti Evans’ boards with considerable skill and, under Matt Torney’s tight direction, do all they can to vivify Abi Morgan’s intensely metaphorical and allusive script. Despite its often arcane nature, “Tiny Dynamite” is accessible to the audience and counterpoints with the myriad of difficult memories and relationships that huddle there in the dark. We all have had experiences that have shaped us in ways we often do not fully understand. We know what guilt is and the difficulties we have achieving satisfactory redemptive moments. Those who ostensibly love us have hurt us deeply and we often strike out in pain and recycle hurt.
What is missing from “Tiny Dynamite” is a sense that the characters really care for one another: care enough to love or care enough to hate. Therefore it is difficult for the audience to care about them as much as it should. Were Lucian, Anthony, and Madeleine more “connected,” the audience could more profoundly connect to their experiences. Despite that difficulty, “Tiny Dynamite” is a stunning piece of performance and worth the look.
TINY DYNAMITE is presented by the Origin Theatre Company (George C. Heslin, Artistic Director). Written by Abi Morgan. Directed by Matt Torney. Set and Lighting Design by Maruti Evans; Costume Design by Nicole Wee; Sound Composer, Will Pickens. With Christian Conn (Lucien); Blake DeLong (Anthony); and Olivia Horton (Madeleine).
TINY DYNAMITE began performances on Thursday, June 7 for a limited engagement through Sunday, July 1. The performance schedule is Tuesday – Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday and Saturday at 8:30 PM; and Sunday at 3:30 PM. Please note there are added Saturday matinee performances on June 23 and June 30 at 2:30 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $25 ($17.50 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.59e59.org.
Permalink | Posted by David Roberts on Saturday, June 16, 2012
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