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Masthead
A CurtainUp Review
Asymmetric
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I prefer some distance between my country and the Corleones.
— Josh
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Kevin Bergen and Kim Carson
(Photo credit: Asymmetric ) |
This small, focused Mac Rogers play with its loose motivational underpinnings addresses the moral ambiguity that comes with the covert services, even as it upholds nationalism, decrying the way private contractors and mercenaries are favored for high-risk black ops jobs over officially sanctioned personnel. Although fitted with such High Patriotic Principles there’s no pretense of depth. Luckily profundity isn’t required.
A washed up former operative of many skills-- once an interrogator’s interrogator-- is dragged back into service by a former colleague, now a section head, to deal with a problem. It won’t ruin the show to mention that an early-on disclosure reveals that the former op was once married to the subject currently under investigation. So the story is tangled up in ops and love issues.
Playwright Rogers’s dialogue delineates each character and it never bogs down. Sustaining forward momentum with sketchy operational jargon, it says in effect: Never mind little details. Move on.
S. Cory Palmer’s set design is clean, minimal, and mundane — the perfect government office. Matt Sharp’s lighting design follows suit. When enhanced interrogation transpires in the banal uncaring glare of fluorescent lighting, the effect works. Yet while flat lighting is effective in scenes of ‘persuasion’, the show would gain more oomph if more varied and dramatic lighting were used to illuminate other aspects of the story.
Action-wise, unfortunately, instances of wussy fight-choreography detract from an otherwise dangerous feel. Lacking any hint of verisimilitude, fight elements look like practice demos that could use a wallop of hard power.
The treatment of the subject matter, rather than the staging itself, recalls movies, tv shows, and games. Even though the logic of the whole thing doesn’t necessarily hold together under scrutiny, the story moves forward compellingly with its mashup of tech talk and vagueness, as spy stories and conspiracy movies will do.
Russ Widdall, co-artistic director and actor, makes his directorial debut with this world premiere. The choices he makes as a first-time director reflect his acting experience, wisely favoring the actor’s performance over other concerns.
Ross Beschler plays section chief, Zack, very broadly. He is almost unrecognizable as the same man who played the dark, mysterious local miller in Knives in Hens at Exile in February. Speaking of going through changes, when I last saw Kim Carson it was in Little Women, the Musical at BRT last summer. Quite a switch from gentle Beth March to Sunny Black, dangerous black ops agent.
This was my introduction to Eric Rolland‘s acting, and I certainly hope to see more of his work on stage. His characterization of Ford, the persuasion specialist, is accomplished with consummate gangster composure. I last saw lead actor Kevin Bergen in January, as a bright light in Microcrisis at InterAct (See CU review). Here in Asymmetric his weary, relaxed approach to Josh the reluctant operative is exactly right.
Asymmetric, although not a comedy, is drily humorous. Small and clever, it’s a tidy little construct -- driving, earnest, and tricky.
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Asymmetric
by Mac Rogers Directed by Russ Widdall Cast: Kevin Bergen, Ross Beschler, Eric Rolland, Kim Carson Scenic Design: S. Cory Palmer Lighting Design: Matt Sharp Costume and properties Design: Amy Chmielewski Sound Design: Ren Manley Fight Choreographer: Dan Olmstead May 17 to June 10, 2012 80 minutes Reviewed by Kathryn Osenlund based on 05/24 performance. New City Stage Company, 2nd Stage at The Adrienne, 2030 Sansom Street |
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