Review: 2009 Theatre Roulette

This year the playwright festival is all about the dramedy

By Dwayne Steward

Metromix

We got a chance to check out a slice of MadLab Theatre's 2009 Theatre Roulette lineup and, as is usually the case with MadLab, it's a show that shouldn't be missed.

The independent troupe is in its 10th year of putting on the popular short plays festival, a daunting milestone of its own, with this year featuring 10 plays whittled down from more than 700 submissions from around the world.

The show May 7 kicked off the second weekend of performances, which are slated to run with three themed nights of shorts through May 23. We had the pleasure of sitting in on "High Crimes," featuring four plays filled with drama, comedy and murder. ("Idle Hands" and "Ignorant Bliss" are the two other themed nights.)

The highlight of the night was the spritely "Not Funny" by Massachusetts playwright Christopher Lockheardt. Under the direction of Jennifer Feather, the play hit a comedic stride like none of the others.

In this parody about how couples sometimes struggle to communicate, the lights come up on Emily (Amada Howell), who has just stabbed boyfriend Brad (Josh Kessler) for refusing to be serious during an argument. Howell shines with Emily's rollercoaster of emotions, one minute concerned about Brad's condition and the next berating him about his lack of self-control, all while he writhes on the floor in pain. Brad is equally hilarious, literally hanging on to his biting wit with each breath.

"Sit Still" brought a stellar showcase of Traci Weaver as a woman already past the brink, fielding questions from a detective (Brian Spangler-Campbell) about the disappearance of her husband. Weaver throws out some pretty raw emotions as an abused woman who may—or may not—have been driven to murder.

Playwright Jae Kramisen of New York melds the past and present effectively, while director Randi Morgan intelligently helps guide the audience with conveniently placed spotlighting. Spangler-Campbell also showa some serious versatility with his instant transformations between the detective and the abusive husband.

"The Alpha Bindleman" by Californian Paul Braverman also starred Spangler-Campbell as a company's star employee who becomes the target of his insane superiors. His boss, Douglass (Jim Azelvandre), has decided it's best for the company if they kill Bindleman, cut him up into pieces, grind his bones to a pulp and feed him to the employees in hopes of spreading around his efficient behavior.

The actors make what they can of this ridiculous story line. Spangler-Campbell displays the absurdity on his face throughout, while Azelvandre is a scene-stealer with his overly-nerdy display as a supervisor, seeming to take some of his cues from the cult-classic "Office Space." Douglas' imps, Reily (Ric Shoemaker) and Felicia (Rachel Wiley) offer a crowd-pleasing entrance, especially Wiley's infectious crackling that adds flavor to an otherwise flailing plot.

"Extreme Green" by Columbus playwright Tay Dreher takes a stab at the sometimes overly-hyped environmental movement. Two conservationists (Traci Weaver and Phillip Hickman) dream about their takes on the movement, each offering a campy look at both sides of the argument. The clothed portrayal of an environmentally friendly porno draws the biggest reaction, and a segment on a doctor who refuses to treat a dying patient (Stephen Woosley who seamlessly tackles a slew of roles) because it's not "natural" offers some comedic food for thought. Director Chris Lane brings out a few laughs, but overall this was a great idea that ultimately lost something in translation.

MadLab's 10th Theatre Roulette continues at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until May 23. The last night of the festival will showcase all 10 plays starting at 2 p.m. For the full schedule, tickets or more information, visit MadLab's Web site.