Rough Sketch

Shawn Nacol's "Rough Sketch" begins in a way that's simultaneously familiar and curiously intriguing, as the meticulously tidy Barbara (Tina Benko) and somewhat slovenly Dex (Matthew Lawler) discover they're both using the Christmas holiday to catch up on things at the animation studio (brought to life with beautiful detail by set designer Peter R. Feuchtwanger) where they work. The frisson—professional and romantic—between this decidedly mismatched pair amuses. And Barbara's mysterious agenda certainly captures our attention. Unfortunately, the play devolves from its promising start into a quagmire of confusion that's almost as bewildering as the plot of the big-budget film on which the two are working.

After the two have comically reached a sort of détente, the play veers—unexpectedly and unconvincingly—into a sort of Shavian debate about the ways in which cartoon features send messages about the world to youngsters and what these two might be able to do about it. After they argue, the two enter into an all-out battle as they vie for professional supremacy. Director Ian Morgan's disjointed staging—in which overextended blackouts (quirkily underscored by sound designer Matt Sherwin) retard any tension that builds during scenes—only enhances the piece's lack of cohesiveness.

It's an idea-rich two hours of theater but never truly satisfying. Thankfully, both Benko and Lawler turn in meticulously crafted performances that are never less than captivating and often help pull us through the play's longueurs. Benko has the ability to communicate multiple emotions and thoughts, often in a single gesture, making the character sometimes hilarious and at other points heartbreakingly pitiful. Lawler delivers Dex's zingers with pinpoint accuracy. It's humor that masks the character's vulnerabilities, which are beautifully captured in Lawler's performance. Their skill—yes, I'll say it—animates this uneven theatrical project.


Presented by Rude Mechanicals Theater Company at 59E59 Theaters, 59 E. 59th St., NYC. Jan. 17–31. Tue. and Wed., 7:30 p.m.; Thu.–Sat., 8:30 p.m.; Sun., 3:30 p.m. (212) 279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com.