Gratuitous nudity and willful obscurity are frequent signposts of a desperate and emotionally vapid production. Playwrights sometimes confuse ambiguity with depth, and directors often rely on nudity for a distractingly sensationalist effect. This production is a perfect example of how these elements, when used correctly, can create a powerfully honest piece of theatre.
Cleansed, for those unfamiliar with the work of playwright Sarah Kane, is not for the squeamish. There are no fewer than four onstage sex scenes, in addition to many graphic depictions of torture. Audience members will invariably find themselves divided into two camps: the snickering seat-shifters and the profoundly moved. The immensity of the play's theme—the torturous aspect of love—is handled with deft simplicity by director Roger Mathey and his able cast. With a line straight from that Restoration treatise on tortured love 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, the protagonist of Cleansed, Grace, (an understated and lovely Kimberly Canfield) loves her brother, Graham (Jacob Wolber), from within the walls of an insane asylum—or is it the world? Their canoodling is viewed from above by Tinker, (Jeremiah Heitman), a mad doctor—or is he God?—who doles out the punishments.
All cast members deserve commendations for their vulnerable and honest work in this punishing play. As Robin, a fellow patient who falls for Grace, David Stamps is heartbreakingly fragile and does tremendous work in a difficult scene. Also worth mentioning is James Kopp as Carl, who by play's end has become the very image of love's sacrifice. Only Heitman is occasionally off-key with his forced and wild-eyed portrayal of Tinker.
The stark reality of the play is articulated perfectly by Jason Rupert's black-and-white set, and Mathey's multilevel staging is ingenious. Andrew McCarty's dark and cold techno soundtrack also greatly enhances the action. In the wrong hands, this play could be a horrifying mess, but the team assembled here has fully realized the potential of the text. While it is by no means a light evening of theatre, Cleansed is haunting, powerful, and superbly executed.
Presented by Seat of Your Pants Productions at the Dorie Theatre at The Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A. Fri.-Sat. 10:30 p.m. Oct. 27-Dec. 2. (310) 930-7254.