[NEohioPAL] Berko review: BOOM (Cleveland Public Theatre)

[Roy Berko]

CPT’s
‘BOOM’--not your usual holiday fare
 
Roy Berko
 
(Member,
American Theatre Critics Association)
 
--THE TIMES
NEWSPAPERS--
 
Lorain
County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times  
 
--coocleveland.com—
 
The stated mission of Cleveland Public Theatre, which is now
staging Peter Sinn Nachtrieb’s ‘BOOM,’ is to “develop new work and support
emerging artists.”  The company
“seeks plays that challenge audiences and offer unique theatrical experiences.”
 
‘BOOM’ fulfills CPT’s mission well.
 
The play, according to its
author, is about "this gay marine biologist who posts a Craigslist ad for
what seems like casual sex, and what happens when a female journalism student
answers the ad."  What appears
to be a casual date evolves into something far more momentous which includes
Pampers, a baster, a broken leg, fish, Tampons, drums and chains.
 
The concept of Nachtrieb
writing a play about this subject comes naturally.  He had the unusual double-major of biology and drama.  And the subject is real.  As the writer says, "The scientist
character is based on experiences I had off the coast of Panama, as a research
assistant to a marine biologist.  "We were on this spit of sand in an archipelago that's one of the
least-populated places in the world. We just watched fish spawn for four
months."
The format of the play is unusual.  The audience finds themselves in a
“museum” observing the acting out of a “play.”  Barbara, the “stage manager,” who manipulates the entire
experience, makes some changes in the format and the goings-on
thrust out of a normal pattern.  The question arises as to the reality or lack of reality, the truth or
fiction of what we are viewing.  
There is an almost science
fiction feel.  And, after the
Bush/Chaney administration which appeared to be centered on leading the nation
to doom, maybe the “do we have any control over our lives” is more real than
we’d like to believe.
Reviews of the New York and
Washington, DC productions used such phrases as, “grandly whacked-out
apocalypse fantasy;” “literate, coarse, thoughtful, sweet, inappropriate;” and
“wracked by existential anxiety.”  One reviewer
called it "essentially a dark-themed, light-toned allegory of survival and
change." 
 
The CPT production, under the
direction of Beth Wood is as good as possible.  The cast is excellent and the pacing is right, though the
90-minute intermissionless presentation seems much longer due to the talky
script.
 
Kelly Elliott, she of mobile
face and great vocal variety, is delightful as Barbara,  She has a wonderful way of being both
confused and “in charge” at the same time.  Skinny and gawky Doug Snyder, is a born nerd!  His Jules is pure scientist who doesn’t
have the social graces to realize he is totally off-key to the rest of the
world.  Laurel Johnson, though
often shrill, carries off the role of the Jo, the female reporter trapped in
the play’s fantasy, with realism.
 
Capsule
judgement: In spite of the critical raves of
previous productions, this is not a play for everyone.  The script contains too many words and
too little action.  It is abstract
and leaves one asking, “What is this all about?”   If you like Theater of the Absurd , this is for you!  If not, go see David Sedaris’ ‘The
Santaland Diaries’ which is being staged in CPT’s other theatre.
 
‘BOOM’ runs through December 20.  For tickets call 216-631-2727 or go on line to www.cptonline.org
 
CPT’S OTHER HOLIDAY OFFERINGS:
 
‘CRUMBLE (lay me down, justin
timberlake)’
December 4-20
A quirky new comedy about an old
house and a 12-year old whose Christmas wish list includes bleach, paraffin and
other bomb-making materials.
 
‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’
November 30-December 20Sean Booker stars as Crumpet in David Sedaris’ retelling of his
experiences as a Christmas Elf at Macy’s! 

 Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2008, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info

His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com and NeOHIOpal (to subscribe visit http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/neohiopal.)