[NEohioPAL] Jaded humor rules in 'The Dead Guy'

[alanna at bnctheatre.com]

Jaded humor rules in 'The Dead Guy'
Nightmarish show offers Bang and Clatter audience a message to think about

By Elaine Guregian 
Beacon Journal arts and culture critic

Published on Sunday, Sep 23, 2007

It's ironic to go out for a night of theater and spend part of your time watching television commercials. But wait; I'm not complaining. The jaded humor of commercials such as the fake ad for an imaginary new show, America's Got Feelings, fits right into the play The Dead Guy.

Cleveland native Eric Coble was in the audience to see his play receive its Ohio debut Friday night by The Bang and The Clatter Theatre Company at Akron's Summit Artspace. Every seat in the small theater was taken by an audience that laughed at the dark humor of Coble's nightmarish reality show.

The setup of the stage and seating are different at every BNC production, which is part of the company's appealing unpredictability. For The Dead Guy, viewers are seated in straight lines, like a studio audience, in front of a spare stage with a flat-screen TV at either side and a larger screen in the center. Wide bands of bright colors on the floor mimic the test colors shown at the beginning of a film reel.

In an appealing if uneven cast, Sean Derry is in a league of his own as Eldon Phelps, a character type that could be gently referred to as ''no-account,'' less gently as ''loser.'' Eldon perks up when partying is an option. Without taking the easy way out and simply sentimentalizing Eldon, Derry makes you feel for his hollow life.

Erika Thomas made a promising BNC debut as Gina, the relentlessly ambitious TV producer who talks Eldon into appearing on her show, The Dead Guy. Eldon will get $1 million to spend as he wishes for a week. At the end of the week, a studio audience will decide on his mode of death.

Eldon's awkward attempts to make significant final gestures to his family and ex-girlfriend are less than camera-ready, though everyone who sees a TV camera reflexively plays to it. This may be Coble's biggest point, reflecting the spirit of the '00s: no one can resist telling all when a camera is pointed in his direction. This is not such a new concept. Still, BNC's production, guest-directed by Chad Stutz, makes a compelling and entertaining show.

Alanna Romansky is Eldon's long-suffering ex-girlfriend, Christy. Ruben Ryan is cast according to type as the ponytailed, baseball cap-wearing cameraman, Dougie. Marcia Darby plays Eldon's mom, who swats him and insults him as automatically as Eldon reaches for a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

The producer, Gina, is prepared to do anything necessary to pump up ratings. The way Erika Thomas slaps on a British accent and strikes a vivacious pose when cameras are rolling attests to Gina's shallowness. It's not as convincing that she feels qualms at having suckered Eldon into the arrangement. Coble wants to have it both ways.

Coble is right that life is not conveniently clear-cut, but the play could be called manipulative for drawing us in. On one hand, we get to sit on a high horse and feel superior to these mugs; on the other hand, we've paid real money to watch them. There's a lot to chew on in this play.

The BNC's sleek, funny production particularly the tone-perfect commercials directed by Sean McConaha and Chad Stutz slides down as entertainment even as Coble's unsavory message sticks in your craw.

Elaine Guregian

The Dead Guy is being produced at The Bang and The Clatter Theatre Company Sept. 21-Oct. 21 at 140 E. Market St., Akron, OH, 44308. Shows are Thurs.-Sat. at 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm. There is one Sunday Evening performance Sunday, Sept. 30, at 8pm, and two Monday evening performances, Oct. 1 and Oct 8, at 8pm.  Tickets are $15, and students and seniors are always 'Pay As You Can'. For reservations or other information, call 330.606.5317.