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A CurtainUp Review
The Mnemonist at Dutchess County
| "The only thing I can’t do
is forget. " —Milo "Milo, I’m sorry, but if I can’t forget, then there’s no way you can. We can work on coping strategies and ways to momentarily distract you from your memories. But I’m going to tell you right off the bat: I can’t make you forget. All I can do is tell you what everyone else does in order to keep going and that’s repress. Repress the hell out of your life and then lie to yourself about doing so. Otherwise all this shit is just too much to take."—Dr. Hulie |
Henry Vick and Aaron Costa Ganes
|
Presented by The Attic Theater Company The Mnemonist of Dutchess County is performed by an authoritative ensemble. It centers on a recently fired campus security guard, Milo Masowski, an innocent, pleasant fellow with one insurmountable problem. He is a mnemonist, and so cannot forget anything. Spurting out the most unessential and inappropriate trivia, he hears literally and is stopped by nuances in language, like the various meanings of the word, “makeup.” This makes people suspicious and think of him as “human computer” and a “freak of nature.”
Milo's circle of acquaintances includes Joey Giamani, a security guard who watches over Milo while harboring a frustration that he will never be successful. Milo has a crush on Joey’s pretty sister, Gina Giamani, a bar owner, with her own problems of vulnerability. Her boyfriend, the brash enthusiastic Tito, is a conniver, somewhat charming and often stoned.
Joey brings Milo to speak to Dr. G.H. Hulie, the school psychologist at Deans College. He is approachable but pretentious and views Milo as a possibly case-study for one of his books. The play’s sixth character, one of Hulie’s undergraduates, Samantha Riley, is neurotically studious and impelled to succeed.In short, everyone in Koenigsberg’s story is somewhat alienated, trying to make a place for himself in the world where he might be recognized and admired.
The Mnemonist of Dutchess County garners most of the laughs from Tito, an affable Tony Danza-type, always looking for the right break. He comes up with the idea of hosting an audience-participation show exploiting Milo’s memory called, “The Mnemonist of Dutchess County.” Enthusiastically, Tito persuades Joe with “You need a job right? Well what if I told you your job could be memorizing shit – the one thing you’re good at! No offense. But even Joey showed your ‘trick’ off to me the first time we met. And I mean shit, you see the way Gina looked at you?” Tito is overcome with his big plans and the show turns out to be a successful moneymaker with its ebullient street-talking host schmoozing with characters from the audience.
Scenes alternate between the bar and the office of Dr. Hulie whose focus on getting his books to the editor give way to his growing empathy for the emotional toll that Milo’s memory is taking. It seems that Milo also has synesthesia, a confounding of various sensations spilling together. Talking about his late mother, Milo says, “I hear the voice of someone dying and I will see it, smell it, touch it, taste it, and I will NEVER EVER forget it.” This complication leads to an uncomfortable experiment to block certain perceptions.
Koenigsberg has also written expressive, revelatory monologues for Samantha and Gina. When Gina decides to sell the bar and move away, she confides to Milo that was always afraid of the howling winds in Dutchess County which has lately reminded her of growing old and being alone. In a passionate speech, Samantha reveals why she feels so pressured to succeed. Dr. Hulie too has a story of a difficult personal memory that manages to reach Milo, giving him help to combat his condition and bring the play to a satisfying conclusion.
Laura Savie directs briskly and the ensemble's timing and interaction is precise. As Dr. Hulie, Brit Whittle is persuasively frazzled by work, and ends up being sympathetic even though often dismissive of Samantha and using Milo as a subject for a book.
AS the complex Milo, Henry Vick captures the complex Milo's awkwardness and innocencea. Jessica Varley captures Samantha' s compulsive focus on career and Ava Eisenson bringa winning mix of toughness and vulnerability to Gina. Malcolm Madera's Joey nicely brings out the struggle between his well-meaning instincts and his jealousy of Milo’s success with Tito. Aaron Costa Gais paints the colorful Tito,well with his flavorful t street talk and scheming wiliness.
Julia Noulin-Merat has devised a dual-purpose set with a curtained cubicle in the center as Dr. Hulie’s office and the rest extending over the stage. Although at times it feels like a tennis match, following the characters from side to side, it is sparely effective. Costumes by Travis Chinick look authentic, right off today’s streets.
Interesting are the doo-wop and R&B recorded songs between scenes and played before the show. Why choose such dated tunes for a play taking place today? Gina gives an answer when she tells Milo that one reason why she is tired of life in Dutchess County: ”It’s like you begin to notice things like how the only clear radio station plays the same nine oldie songs over and over again.”
| The Mnemonist of Dutchess County Book by Josh Koenigsberg Directed by Laura Savia Cast: Aaron Costa Ganis, Ava Eisenson, Malcolm Madera, Jessica Varley, Henry Vick and Brit Whittle Set Design: Julia Noulin-Merat Costume Design: Travis Chinick Wig Design: Tom Watson Lighting Design: David Upton Sound design: Stowe Nelson Casting Director: Lexie Pregosin Running Time: Two hours with intermission. Beckett Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street, at 9th Avenue Tickets: $26.25. (Ticket prices include a $1.25 Restoration Fee). Call 212-239-6200 or online at www.telecharge.com. Performances: Tues. at 7pm; Wed to Sat.. at 8pm; Sunday at 3pm. Previews: 02/08/13; Opens: 02/13/13. Closes: 03/02/13 Review by Elizabeth Ahlfors based on performance 02/10/13 |
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