L.A. Review: 'I Am Chrissie'

Ah, the thin line between art and madness. It's irresistible territory for an artist, crossing that line and exploring the gray area on both sides. And for a supposedly sane audience, it's pretty extraordinary when a theater artist is able to capture what it's like in those murky places. In relating her experiences working with mental patients in the late 1970s, writer-performer Laurie O'Brien's new solo show gives us an amazing portrait of a fascinating woman. Yet much of "I Am Chrissie" feels random and incomplete.

O'Brien's onstage journey gets off to an awkward start; she re-enacts the quandary leading up to her show's creation: "What should I write about?" It's an uncomfortable and unnecessary prologue. But once we meet mad Chrissie, with her ordered shopping cart and sassy street smarts, we're hooked. Chrissie next turns up in the hospital where Laurie (O'Brien, playing herself) is holding a theater workshop for the mentally ill. Director Tony Abatemarco guides this strong performer with a sure hand, and we follow the progress of the curious relationship between the two women. Though this may not seem like revelatory subject matter, O'Brien's writing here, and her portrayal of this complex, endearing, horrifying character, are terrific.

We're entertained on another level when the show moves to Laurie's workshops with other patients; O'Brien is charming as a naive, insecure young artist who overly identifies with those around her and believes that her own life experiences are lessons that can save the deeply troubled Chrissie. The writer is less successful in providing insights here, and a short conversation with her mother—as well as a loaded conference with a doctor—are missed opportunities.

In the end, while we know that Laurie may have given Chrissie an element of comfort and protection, if briefly—and we see in Chrissie the potential to cross over into sanity—we also suspect that she will never be able to survive on the other side of the line. That uncertainty is potentially powerful; less so is not knowing what lasting impact Chrissie had on Laurie beyond providing the less-than-compelling title for this show.
           
Presented by the Katselas Theatre Company at Skylight Theatre–Skylab, 1816 1/2 N. Vermont Ave., L.A. June 24–July 30. Sun. and Mon., 7 p.m. (702) 582-8587 or www.ktctickets.com.