Extinction

Extinction

Red Dog Squadron at the Elephant Theatre

Reviewed by Les Spindle

November 27, 2009

PHOTO CREDIT

Kurt Boetcher

Gabe McKinley's debuting play takes a perceptive look at the evolution of male friendships, exploring the personal sacrifices that come with maturity and the communication barriers that sometimes cause people to grow apart. Director Wayne Kasserman and actors James Roday and Michael Weston make the most of the sly humor and subtle heartbreak in McKinley's intelligent work, enhanced by fine supporting turns from Amanda Detmer and Stefanie E. Frame.

Themes of midlife crisis have frequently been explored in theater, but the life passage from 20-something gadabout to someone with a sense of direction offers fresh dramatic possibilities. Former NYU classmates Max (Weston) and Finn (Roday) meet in Atlantic City for one of their periodic reunions, ready to indulge in a weekend of gambling, sniffing cocaine, and womanizing. Their camaraderie gradually becomes strained, and we learn that Finn has fallen on hard economic times and that he has an even bigger surprise to reveal. Both men feel betrayed by facts that come to light, but the biggest wedge in their friendship is Finn's desire to move beyond hedonistic revelry, while Max prefers to hold on to the Peter Pan syndrome. When Max brings two prostitutes (Detmer and Frame) to the room to entertain himself and his friend, Finn's resolution is put to the test.

Roday superbly conveys the turmoil behind Finn's attempts to please his rambunctious pal, as he struggles with pent-up resentments and daunting challenges of adult responsibility. In the more boisterous role, Weston adeptly balances elements of charm and contemptibility. Max's wit and sense of fun are infectious, but the self-centered side to his personality creates tension between the friends. The interplay between these actors is convincing and compelling. The characters played by Detmer and Frame primarily serve as dramatic catalysts, but these actors give credible portrayals.

Kurt Boetcher's gray-dominated set, depicting adjoining hotel rooms, provides a paradoxical blend of elegance and sterility, underlining the male pals' conflicting sets of values. Mike Durst's lighting and Gali Noy's costumes are likewise finely conceived.

Presented by Red Dog Squadron at the Elephant Theatre, 6322 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Nov. 21–Dec. 13. Fri.–Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m. (323) 960-7784. www.plays411.com/extinction.