A sizeable crowd fit neatly into a black box theater on Thursday evening to witness the fulminating opening performance of David Mamet's The Shawl at the Boston Center for the Arts' Leland Center. Lilia Levitina directed this raw and risky show, presented by her own company, Basement on the Hill Stage.
Mamet, considered by many an emerging great modern playwright, tells a wicked story about a psychic, his lover, and his newest client. Along the way, Mamet enthralls his audience with magnificent dialogue commenting on the nature of scams and relationships. What is the price of an artist's skill? In other words, is the artist's responsibility to his talents beneficial?
In his scripts, Mamet provides a lot of challenging ideas and questions with minimal stage directions. Thus, the directors of his shows take on a great deal of visual liberty in their sculpting of the drama.
In her interpretation of The Shawl, Levitina makes intriguing choices regarding staging and action, incorporating a lot of movement and props. John (Will Cabell), the so-called "psychic," begins the play riding a bicycle while juggling. Later, in a classic example of morality lost in passion, John's lover Charles (Paul Barrett) uses intense physical seduction to get John to obey his wishes. The director takes a risk by purposely leaving little to the audience's imagination in this hot scene and it adds another dimension to the story.
Levitina displays her understanding of Mamet even further in the "psychic" scenes. While interacting with his client, John flies around the stage, shouting out prophecies and visions. In reality, John's only talent is his ability to make his client think that he really is a psychic. The director emphasizes the dramatic aspect of his "occupation" to further Mamet's point that it is all a scam.
Many of Mamet's plays deal with trickery and deception in his characters' professions, actions and, most notably, words. Interestingly, Mamet, who is considered a mastermind of language, knows better than anyone that words themselves are usually just a front; a coarse lie. In general, actors and directors find great difficulty in performing Mametesque plays because one has to say the dialogue as it without trying to force meaning into them.
In this aspect, the production falls short because the actors forced the Mametspeak style (the common phrase for Mamet's unique dialogue) rather than allowing it to flow in a more easygoing manner.
As John, Will Cabell uncovers the many subtle facets of his character. When John has to decide between abusing his artistic gift and betraying his lover, Cabell makes this struggle tangible. He fails, however, to show as clearly his character's struggle with his own words and lies. As a psychic, John revels in his gift, but at the same time loathes himself for it. Cabell needs to make a more distinct choice as his character deals with his power to entrap others into his game.
Paul Barrett does an excellent job of making his intentions lucid to the audience as John's lover, Charles. Charles wants two things in this play: money and John. In some ways, Charles fits the role of the housewife. Barrett plays with this idea when he coaxes John to use his talent to get money, threatening to leave him if John refuses.
Dassia Posner - currently working on her Ph.D in theater history at Tufts - portrays Miss A, John's client. Her role calls for a lot of acting without many lines, and she does fairly well for being silent on stage so long. Still, she could explore more options in developing her character. Miss A seems transfixed by the psychic's work from the moment she enters his apartment, and her manner undercuts the tension onstage. Once the transformation starts, however, her performance and character are enlivened.
The rowdy set and wild costumes, both designed by award-winning set designer Valentina Komolova, complement the play and the aggressive direction of the show. The music, arranged by Emily Romm, also supplements the lively feel by providing an energetic and almost chaotic atmosphere. Unfortunately, the music overpowered the words of the actors at times.
Yet, what smaller underground productions may lack in refinement they compensate for in unparalleled, raw intensity. This is a perfect example - the active energy of the performers overcome any of their smaller shortcomings.
