ITALIAN-AMERICAN RECONCILIATION. To 25 September.
London
ITALIAN-AMERICAN RECONCILIATION
by John Patrick Shanley
Finborough Theatre To 4 September 2004
Tue-Sat 7.30pm Sun 3.30pm
then Broadway Studio, Catford 7-25 September 2004
Runs 1hr 55min One interval
TICKETS: 020 7373 3842 (Finborough)
020 8690 0002 (Catford)
Review: Timothy Ramsden 29 August
Women know their mind, men don't know their women in a variably acted production.American dramatist John Patrick Shanley may not be major league - like, say, David Mamet. But, he's a name worth watching out for, someone with a quietly acute sense of theatre, who always has something to say. And, more importantly, something to show.
That's clear from the moment blue-collar Aldo greets us, and his mother (allegedly in the audience) before hustling out a female latecomer. Reliance on mother, distrust of his own generation's women sifts through Aldo's heartily friendly, yet nervous manner. It comes out even more in his friend Huey, whose story is the play's action. Huey veers between ex-girlfriend Janice, who shot his dog in an attempt to rile him, and present partner Teresa.
She clings to him desperately when he leaves her to attempt a reconciliation with the fiery, gun-firing, Janice. Like a sad clown, in cliché French artist get-up, Huey's so nervous he sends Aldo in to take the opening flack. While Teresa's on the same level as the men, Janice spends most of the time on a balcony. But there's no Romeo and Juliet about this Italian New Yorker, who takes a pot-shot at Aldo with what must be the most inefficient firearm in the USA.
Huey's inability to keep either girl is a result of his own indeterminate nature, never knowing what he does want, let alone what's good for him. Yet Aldo, even when kitted out to look as respectable as his perpetually stubbly figure can be, never forms a relationship, despite Aunt May's advice. She's on hand to share an experienced woman's perspective with the younger men in her New York Italian soup shop (called Pop's' in yet another denial of the feminine).
Penny Dreadful Theatre Company's production needs more focus from its male characters. There's too much needless twitching and one-note playing from the men. Huey's girls fare better, Helen Owen-Taylor in act one giving Teresa a sense of passion. But it's Angela Rauscher's Janice which sets the action alight, showing an inner fury that's distinct from her outer anger, the face animated with her mental reactions to Aldo's pleadings. If only they were all that good.
Aldo Scalicki: Roy Khalil
Huey Maximillian Bonfigliano: Paul Agar
Aunt May: Eva Lederman
Teresa: Helen Owen-Taylor
Janice: Angela Rauscher
Director: Ian O'Brien
Designer: Chris Hone
Lighting: Felix Brown
Sound: Darren Murphy
2004-08-30 05:09:27