SEARCH CurtainUp
REVIEWS
FEATURES
NEWS (Etcetera)
ADDRESS BOOKS
Broadway
Off-Broadway
BOOKS and CDs
OTHER PLACES
Berkshires
London
Los Angeles
Philadelphia
Elsewhere
QUOTES
On TKTS
LETTERS TO EDITOR
FILM
LINKS
MISCELLANEOUS
Free Updates
Masthead
NYC Weather
The Ontological Detective
By Eunice Marquet
|
Everybody sets his own limits.
---Detective Michael Luz |
Chirstopher Mattox and Romi Dias
|
The play begins in the shabby room of a Harlem flophouse as homicide detectives Luz and Robles pick through the bloody bedclothes of an apparent suicide victim. It's an open and shut case except for one thing-- small items in the room have been moved prior to the detectives' arrival. And this is not the first time. It seems that all of Luz's current suicide cases have been visited by the same perverted individual.
Who could this person or persons be? How do they know about these suicides before the police? And why are they tampering with evidence? This is the mystery that Detective Luz must solve.
The cast creates a tight ensemble. Romi Dias gives a nice performance as the headstrong Detective Robles and Charles Paul Holt is passionate and capable in the difficult role of Skip. However Johnny Sparks, true to his name, turns in the standout performance as the odd and devilish Young Man. It is only lead actor Christopher Mattox, as Detective Luz, who never quite reaches the heights of his character.
Any Key Productions has put together a detailed drama with sll of the production elements effectively feeding the noiresque style of the piece. Donyale Werle has designed an impressive set, even more sp considering the confining size of the small stage. Ms. Werle has created four distinct playing spaces, each filled with its own personality and, remarkably, none feel cramped. Robert Perry seems to be a bit of a miracle worker. With a scant 19 lighting instruments, he manages to capture the mystery of the play with an artistic flare while the methodical sound design and original music of Shane Rettig sets just the right mood. These designers prove that with a little innovation and a lot of imagination, an Off-Off Broadway budget can support a superb technical design.
A caveat: The thirty-seat theatre gets claustrophobic very quickly. On the evening that I attended, the audience was half full and it was already oppressive and stuffy. You can also hear the Stage Manager calling the cues. During a play that is dealing with high intellectual theories, it is important to listen and while I am certainly not blaming the Stage Manager, it did prove to be rather distracting.
The Ontological Detective is an ambitious play that tackles a huge existential concept. The first half of this piece is well constructed teasing the audience with bits of intellectual theories while building some intriguing and vivid characters. However it degenerates into long-winded speeches and becomes a conflict of ideas rather than a conflict of the individuals. Ultimately, it's a play with a great framework with a lot of potentia and may inspire some spirited conversation.
| The Ontological Detective Written and Directed by Kenneth Heaton Cast: Christopher Mattox as Michael Luz, Charles Paul Holt as Skip, Romi Dias as Robles, Mark Sage Hamilton as Bert Herman and Johnny Sparks as the Young Man. Scenic Designer: Donyale Werle Lighting Designer: Robert Perry Costume Designer: Bobby Frederick Tilley II Sound Designer/Composer: Shane Rettig Running time: 1 hour and 40 minutes, with no intermission Any Key Productions at Blue Heron Arts Center, 123 East 24th Street, 212-868-4444 Tickets $15 and $25 4/10/03 - 4/21/03 Wednesday - Saturday and Mondays at 8PM 4/23/03 - 5/11/03 Wednesday - Saturday at 8PM and Sundays at 2PM Reviewed by Eunice Marquet based on Wednesday, April 9th performance |
Mendes at the Donmar
Our Review
At This Theater
Leonard Maltin's 2003 Movie and Video Guide
Ridiculous!The Theatrical Life & Times of Charles Ludlam
Somewhere For Me, a Biography of Richard Rodgers
The New York Times Book of Broadway: On the Aisle for the Unforgettable Plays of the Last Century
6, 500 Comparative Phrases including 800 Shakespearean Metaphors by CurtainUp's editor.
Click image to buy.
Go here for details and larger image.
