NY Review: 'The Thrill of the Chase'

In "The Thrill of the Chase," which turns out to be neither a chase nor thrilling, Charlie tells Nicky that they both have to break up with their girlfriends. The young men have been friends since childhood and are now roommates in the penthouse apartment that Charlie's father bought for him. Nicky agrees to do what Charlie says—he agrees to almost everything Charlie requests—but when the time comes, Nicky winds up proposing to Izzy instead. Charlie decides it is his civic duty to make sure the wedding doesn't happen and promises to break it up in a month's time. If he fails he will give Nicky and his bride the penthouse as a wedding gift.

From this premise playwright Philip Gawthorne attempts a brutal exploration of what used to be called the battle of the sexes. Kevin O'Callaghan plays Charlie as a creep and a sadist who turns on the charm just to get what he wants and doesn't know why he acts the way he does. To end the engagement, Charlie cooks a pig's head for Izzy (Nicole Samsel), who is a vegetarian, and enlists Faith (Jenna D'Angelo) to make the moves on Nicky (Ryan Barrentine.)

Obviously inspired by David Mamet, the playwright uses his familiar coarse rat-a-tat dialogue and regular-guy inflections: "I'm not doubting you have feelings for her," Charlie tells Nicky. "I know you do. I have feelings for my goldfish, but I don't let them rule my life."

Although the characters often behave in ways that are not especially credible, "The Thrill of the Chase" might have worked as a politically incorrect comedy or a theatrically riveting exercise in cruelty. But the production is undermined by a script overstuffed with pointless digressions (there is a long monologue about buying a bagel) and, despite the snappy dialogue, an often-deadly pace that makes its two and a half hours feel as endless as a bad marriage.

Presented by Mad Dog Theatre Company, in association with the Drilling Company, at the Drilling Company Theatre, 236 W. 78th St., NYC. Feb. 19–March 4. Thu.–Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. (212) 868-4444 or www.smarttix.com.