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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. Downstate
Norris sets up the stakes from the beginning. In his early teens, Andy (Tim Getman) was molested by his piano teacher, Fred (Dan Daily). Decades later, Fred has completed his prison sentence and lives in a halfway house with three other men on the sex offender list; Andy and his wife Em (Emily Kester) have come to visit to settle accounts and try to move beyond the lingering trauma. Norris' concern is whether people who have committed horrific crimes can ever receive forgiveness and be accepted back into society. Fred, the oldest of the residents and on the surface an aw-shucks white Midwesterner, shares the house with Dee (Stephen Conrad Moore), whose crime derailed a promising career as a director and choreographer; Gio (Jaysen Wright), who shrugs off his conviction as the stupidity of youth and wants to build a new life as an entrepreneur; and Felix (Richard Ruiz Henry), a melancholy man who says little and keeps his distance from the others. Director David Muse understands that the level of tension among the men and those around them needs to stay at a simmer before the explosion the audience knows is coming. Beginning with petty squabbles and faded dreams, Norris takes his time building one thing onto another until the inevitable happens–and when it occurs, it's a gut punch to the audience as well as the characters. It's difficult to point to any one of the major performances as the standout; they all have their gripping moments of normality, of bluster, and of understandable anger. Kelli Blackwell more than holds her own as their no-nonsense parole officer. Alexander Woodward's scenic design adds its own sense of futility to the characters' lives. The house is cramped, with only one bathroom, and because space is tight, Felix's bedroom is part of the living room, separated by a flimsy folding door. Downstate runs through February 16, 2025, at Studio Theatre, Victor Shargai Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW, Washington DC. For tickets and information, please call 202-332-3300 or visit www.studiotheatre.org. By Bruce Norris Cast: |
