Dedalus Lounge

Gary Duggan's "Dedalus Lounge" is impossible to categorize. Featuring over-the-top musical numbers, creatively incorporated video projections, and heartfelt dramatic monologues, the show successfully fuses campy, experimental, and dramatic themes. One might even argue for some site-specific elements, as actor James Kautz seems to start his performance with a staged argument with the theater's bartender before the house officially opens. However, with so many intertwining concepts, it becomes difficult to discern Duggan and director Chris Henry's vision for the piece.

The play's strength lies in its more dramatic elements, as the chemistry between the three top-notch actors carries these flawed yet identifiable characters through the story. Set in a bar in Dublin, Daragh, Danny, and Delphine gather in the midst of the impending depressing holiday season. Danny (Anthony Rapp) just broke up with his girlfriend of six years after she cheated on him and is trying to launch a Queen tribute band, displayed in many dream sequences with Rapp as Freddie Mercury. Daragh (Kautz) relies on shoplifting for his livelihood and hides his deeper issues in violence, usually self-inflicted, and sexual endeavors. The lonely Delphine (Dee Roscioli) searches for intimacy wherever she can find it, and while balancing an affair with a government official, she's also dealing with an ailing grandmother. The three friendships evolve into a triangle of romantic relationships, both casual and potentially not, and the holiday gloom drives these troubled individuals to sometimes drastic decisions.

Rapp plays an outsider, not dissimilar from his original Mark in "Rent," desperate to feel cool and included while trying to keep the gang together. His Mercury moments are charming and mostly in good voice, though the production becomes slightly abstract as dancers Curtis Howard and Heather Phillips parade JoAnn M. Hunter's acrobatic choreography around him. Dee Roscioli is the emotional heart of the show, and her subtle and comic performance is touching. Her Irish accent is also the best of the bunch. "Dedalus Lounge" originated in the Emerald Isle, and maintaining this setting requires the American actors to don dialects, with the help of coach Amy Stoller. Rapp slips in and out of his, and Kautz lays his on especially thick, appropriate for his street urchin–like character. (Kautz is the co–artistic director and co-founder of the Amoralists, which frequently produces Rapp's playwright brother Adam's work.) Kautz furiously channels his intense character, and he keeps the drama coursing as Daragh seeks his base human desires.

Director Henry can't seem to arrive at what the show ultimately should be, and while he directs these moving performances delicately, the arc of the show falters. David Bengali's lighting and projection design integrates well with Paul Smithyman's dark set. Daniel A. Weiss' recorded music effectively sounds like an '80s cover band (the songs are co-written with Rapp).

The show's fatalistic message is equally depressing and relatable, and as Daragh encourages his friends to "make shit up as you go along, and you'll never be disappointed," I wondered if the work itself could have used a little more planning and consistency.

Presented by Interart Theatre and Royal Family Productions at the Interart Theatre Annex, 500 W. 52nd St., 2nd floor, NYC. Jan. 12–Feb. 2. Mon., 7 p.m.; Thu.–Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 6 p.m. (No performance Mon., Jan. 16.) (800) 838-3006 or www.brownpapertickets.com.