For Brendan (Dashiell Eaves), the protagonist and titular character of Ronan Noone's new play, alcohol and a prostitute named Maria are two of the best things he has going for him.
His dead mother, needless to say, is not impressed. The dynamic between the two is at the center of Noone's newest work, which is playing through Nov. 17 at the Calderwood Pavilion.
The play opens to a Boston cityscape, the signature Citgo sign reflected in skyscraper windows. Classical music blasts from the stage as pedestrians traverse the sidewalk. Brendan is standing in his living room, wearing only boxers, and punching the air as the melody climaxes. He seems to be conducting the background symphony, and after reading the letter lying on the table in front of him, that's the last thing he seems to be in control of for quite a while.
As he reads the letter from his sister in Ireland, Brendan discovers that his mother is dead. He hasn't seen her since he left Ireland over five years ago, and he missed her funeral. As he finishes the letter, Brendan's mother (Nancy Carroll) appears onstage smoking a cigarette. She walks into Brendan's apartment and into his life, and won't leave until things have irreversibly changed.
Chaos (in the form of dear old Mom) is introduced into the story a little too quickly. The audience never gets a feel for Brendan without his mother, except for vague references to his lonely past or letters from his sister and mother in Ireland that are read intermittently throughout the show. The audience never sees Brendan on an even keel, so it's hard to understand how his mother is rocking the boat. When combined with many abrupt scene changes, this makes the first half of the show confusing and overly chaotic.
Luckily, Brendan is an adorable puppy of an underdog and can easily pull the audience through the show's rough spots. He's quiet, painfully awkward, not very attractive and clumsy, but (of course) he's a genuinely good person. Five minutes into the show, the only thing the audience wants is for Brendan to be happy. This makes it easy to forgive the confused first half, some questionable Irish accents and a few completely unconvincing fistfights. The last half of the show improves dramatically as Brendan learns to drive, falls in love and is granted citizenship.
Eaves is an effective Brendan, but his performance is outshined by the show's three leading ladies. Carroll suffuses Brendan's mother with exactly the right amount of overbearing love. Her comedic timing is perfect, allowing the play to exploit the innate humor of its premise.
Kelly McAndrew plays Maria, a prostitute with a Boston accent who is one of Brendan's closest friends. She's confident, suggestive and a flashy dresser. An actual prostitute would probably be a lot less happy-go-lucky than Maria, but McAndrew makes her character work and is central to some of the show's funniest moments. Near the beginning, Brendan goes to Maria for her "services" but can't perform because his horrified mother's ghost is watching (and commenting on) his every move.
Natalie Gold plays Brendan's love interest, Rose, who has a large, purple birth mark on her face. She's nearly as awkward as Brendan, so of course the two are destined for each other - even though events make it nearly impossible for them to have a relationship.
The supporting male actors are less notable. Their characters feel empty and lend no extra depth to the plot.
"Brendan" is the story of a seemingly average person who, when faced with extraordinary circumstances, comes into his own. Its borderline coming-of-age plot is effective thanks to quality acting and the creative use of Brendan's mother as a catalyst. The play has enough comic relief to balance its more dramatic themes of loneliness, self-doubt, grief and mommy issues.
Overall, "Brendan" proves that mother doesn't always know best, but she often has several good points.
