at the Reuben Cordova Theatre
In watching Richard Martin Hirsch's interesting and worthy world premiere, we sense that it's not only the characters who are missing a part of the picture. We are, too. But that's such a common facet of life, is it not? So we settle into complacency as the play draws to its end. Shame on us.
A child brings a gun to school. He is Japanese-American, adopted by Jewish parents. His teacher is a Japanese-American gay man. His principal is an African American in his first year at the post. Bigotry will out. Yet each is principled in his or her own way. As the parents argue, we're left to decide whether the father's temper, the mother's self-delusion, or each of their respective leniencies has most influenced the child. Is the teacher too hard on the child with whom he shares ethnicity? Is the child lazy or spoiled or learning-impaired? Is the principal too idealistic, or too practical?
Warren Davis helms, delivering a unified world for the actors and creative staging across the theatre's wide space that enables the many scenes to flow. The assured Amy Tolsky opens and closes the play as our narrator, the warm-hearted—for better or worse—district psychiatrist. Mark Berry eschews stereotype—in his character's job and ethnicity—and delivers a thoughtful man at the top. Josh Ogner on the night reviewed does surprisingly balanced work as the fourth-grader, showing not a hint of his character's true circumstances yet always being "truthful" in his acting.
An intrepid Addie Daddio stepped in one week before opening night to take on the role of a PTA leader, former attorney, and relentless intermeddler; whether her idea or Davis', she read from notes at a podium for her "public speaking" scenes, a great cover for the unapparent short rehearsal period, allowing her to delve into the humor of her delivery and the remorselessness of the character.
On the principal's desk is a monkey jar: a humane trap into which Tamarin monkeys would reach to grab food but, because of the jar's configuration, become unable to remove their hands and the food. What happens to the humans with the large hands who dip into the jar? What about those with tiny hands? Think about it, as should our educational system.
Presented by Theatre 40 at the Reuben Cordova Theatre, 241 Moreno Dr., Beverly Hills. Repertory schedule. Feb. 2-Mar. 9. (310) 364-0535. www.theatre40.org.
Reviewed by Dany Margolies