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| Pamela Portnoy and Eric Larson |
By Joe Straw
I arrived at the Odyssey Theatre early. There was plenty of parking, almost no one was there and as I looked around the room I saw a woman with a pleasant smile, returned, thank you. Others started to enter the lobby and after seating, having an amiable conversation with Showbiz Phil, suddenly the place was packed. Looking around the room one spied to see a lot of curious attendees, students of theatre and Shanley, possibly wanting to see a version of the play they might want to perform one day. A lot of “Tommys”, less “Donnas” and a few “Dads”.
This play lends itself to a very small black box house with minimal set pieces, a change of scenery, and three actors all in favoring of keeping production costs low. That’s understandable. Actors needs a showcase, and a director needs a venue to showcase her talent.
PLP Odyssey Theatre presents The Dreamer Examines His Pillow by John Patrick Shanley and, directed by Anne Kathryn Parma for a very short run through February 26th, 2023.
The opening of this production started in a manner which suggested that the night might be long and tenuous and seemed to eliminate dialogue that is in the version from the Dramatists Play Service.
James Liddell
Tommy (James Liddell) a lithe 27, is a little off kilter. Having little to show he prays to a benign benevolent being, a bug infested beat-up refrigerator filled with a few beers that unnecessarily eliminates a resplendent light. Rolling around in his mind, and for months if not a year, he mindfully meditates the predicament he is currently in. The year is 1986 in New York City when impressively, in the dump he currently resides, all he must do is sink into his EZ-boy throne, a delipidated cathedra that sits in front of his frig, and majestically drink his beer. Ah, what a life, but he leaves, one nasty impression, sitting in his dirty white wear waiting for the inevitable to come marching through his door.
Far from the inevitable, but she does, Donna (Pamela Portnoy) bangs on the door and enters in a skintight black dress, a large black belt, a few gold necklaces, one holding a key, and an off-color red adorning her nails. She appears to be off to impress in her accentuated duds, that she pulls on repeatedly to cover her legs, but today she is as mad as a hornet. She demands a beer if only to take the edge off before she expresses a need to get something off her chest, and it’s not going to be pretty.
Donna is hearing stuff about her 16-year-old sister Mona (Not seen.) and Tommy. They’ve been seeing each other for about a month but Tommy figures he is unencumbered, and every ambulatory female now is fair game. The trouble is Mona is jailbait.
“That was just criminal sh*t you did outside the bounds.” – Donna
But Tommy is not forthcoming as to what happened. He says no, then he says yes and if it’s yes, then that is a crime.
“How? How could you do that? Do you hate me?” – Donna
Tommy is the one that left the relationship. He still says he loves her, but he is in a lot of trouble living in a dump, sleeping with her sister, and feeling slightly bad about robbing his mother. All he has is an awkward self-portrait staring at him with one big eye and the other almost shut.
James Liddell and Pamela Portnoy
Donna upset now; says she must talk to her father. He lives in The Heights, and she believes he has the answer.
“And there may be somethin I want him to do. To you.” – Donna
“To me?” – Tommy
“That’s right.” – Donna
“What would you want him to do to me?” – Tommy
“I may want him to beat you up.” – Donna
So off Donna goes to The Heights to find the man with all the answers, her dad (Eric Larson).
Living in “The Little Dominican Republic” side of Manhattan Dad lives much in the same way Tommy does. He rests in his recliner, has a better kind of drink, and a few more pieces of furniture. But things aren’t fine with him. He doesn’t know where his daughter Mona (age 16) is living, and he isn’t living the grand life. He is an artist that has given up his trade for personal reasons and he sits alone at home, with only one painting to show and money in the bank. Life can’t be all that complicated but it is going to get more complicated when Donna shows up wanting, for God knows, what?
John Patrick Shanley, the writer, leaves enough ambiguity in his work to have any actor make creative choices. The door is open wide for entering Shanley’s world of creativity because the world around these characters is a world of art and these people speak a language of their own. The characters come to the point in a manner that is justifiably clear to them. They are not succinct, and their obfuscation ultimately drives their objective to a very satisfying conclusion. Still, Shanley leaves room for dramatic interpretation that can even be performed in the extreme. Those choices are up to the director and the actors.
One had only slight concerns of the opening of this production particularly the opening scene where Donna storms into the room without giving pause as to what is happening to and around her. Feel free to take that moment to give us the backstory here because that is critical. It is the anticipated wait before confronting her love. Donna must bring her history to light all in one fell swoop. Her love is most important, her loneliness, her anger, and then recognize what she has come here for. It’s no small task in the few seconds of her opening moments.
That aside Anne Kathryn Parma, the director, presents us with a remarkable presentation fill with so much charm and creativity culminating with Donna sitting on her father’s lap. This one tenderly amiable moment gives us a complete understanding of the type of characters we are dealing with. It is an outstanding moment that fills one with so much joy and love, and it is a moment that propels the characters through to the final resolution.
Not to be so obtuse but, artistically, the play and the performances were a French chocolate croissant with a perfect cup of coffee.
And, if one must be critical, there are a few moments that were missed, moments that change the relationship and that were not accentuated. Those extreme dramatic moments in this comedy were few and far between but would only help the production.
James Liddell is outstanding as Tommy. Notwithstanding, conjugal fidelity is not his strong suit. Maybe, sleeping with Donna’s sister is one way of getting her back. And, let’s face it, he wants her back he just doesn’t know it. Or maybe he does. Liddell gives us some impressive work especially when the dad comes for a visit.
Pamela Portnoy is exceptional as Donna. Despairing reflections roll around in her mind. She is bothered by the heinous rumors she wants confirmed if only she could get a straight answer from him. Still, she wants him back and that’s the reason she is there. Sister or no sister, she is determined. She may be confused but she wouldn’t be there if she didn’t feel there was a great possibility that they could have a happy life together. That said, the “extreme pain” doesn’t come hard enough when he confesses and that sends her into a state of confusion to go running off for some answers.
Eric Larson is wonderful as Dad. Arduously melancholy sitting alone in the dark, gruff on the outside as well as the inside, he leaves no stone unturned when dealing with his daughter. Figuring out life can be so simple wearing a red bath robe, a pair of comfortable slippers, and with a strong drink enveloped by his thick hands. He knows what love is, and he knows how he wants to handle love. This works perfectly for someone that wants to help his daughter as well as someone who discovers something about himself.
Landon Stephen Popadic, Stage Manager and Lighting Design had the actors speaking in shadow stage left at times.
There’s more to write but not much time as the show closes at 1:00pm this afternoon.
Other crew members are as follows:
Frances Rainaud - Stage Crew
Maulik Patel - Stage Crew
Michael Parker - Stage Crew
Brandon Norris - Lighting Tech
Andrew Cochran - Lighting Tech
Sean Moore - Photographer
Frances Rainaud - Photographer
Phil Sokoloff - Publicist
Run! Run! Run!
Online ticketing: http://odysseytheatre.com