1st Stage: Hang

1st Stage's latest production is "Hang" by contemporary English playwright, debbie tucker green.  I suspect this is why the actors spoke with English accents.  In a nutshell, it is the story of a woman who has come to a government office to announce the manner in which a criminal convicted of a crime against her is to be executed.  An apparent prerogative given to victims in this scenario.  It's a serious topic, an exploration of victim's rights and capital punishment, and it attempts to build a house worthy of the ideas; and yet, it fails miserably.  I can't recall the last time I sat through a more disappointing play.  I don't fault the actors.  They were bailing against all the odds in this sinking ship.  

80 minutes without intermission was merciful.  I mentioned the English accents.  They were so generic and the dialogue was so mottled by lines spoken over-top of one another in a failed attempt to replicate natural speech.  The victim of the crime didn't want to talk.  The two government officials didn't know how to talk.  Their characters were written as incompetent, tentative, confused, honestly ridiculous which just made the whole experience even more confusing.  It clearly wasn't a satire, but perhaps the author would have done a better job communicating her ideas if she had gone that route.  The dissonance did lead to a smattering of nervous laughter from time to time--a mark that I was not the only one confused by the structure and dialogue.  

The bottom line is that in a play where the crux of the matter is so intense, if the actors can't find the way to engender the empathy of the audience, then the intensity of the concepts is simply lost.  If you can't believe that the characters are real--what's left?

The set was stark and impressive with lighting to enhance its sense of other-worldly-ness.  It lent itself wonderfully to the gravity of the subject matter in the abstract.  Kudos to Giorgos Tsappas for the design, Venus Gulbranson for the lighting design.

When I arrived, and made my way to the exterior balcony that wraps around the building housing 1st Stage, I encountered a group of guests standing around the balcony outside of the entrance.  I was a little early and uncertain if they were waiting for the doors to open, forming a line, or what.  When I inquired, I asked, "Are you waiting for something before going in?"

The woman closest to me reached out touched my forearm.  She said, "We're waiting for you!"  And everyone offered a jovial laugh in keeping with their general demeanor.  

I said, "That's lovely!"

The woman next to her said, "We're just enjoying the lovely weather."

And then the woman who touched my arm said of this woman, "This is Deidra.  She's the director."

"Oh," I said, "How lovely to meet you."

She said, "Thank you for coming.  I hope you enjoy the show."

As I left the theatre I ran into her again.  In the interim I had read her blurb in the program to discover a range of plays she's directed around the DMV along with several that she's acted in.  I asked her to confirm a fact in the program in hopes of deflecting the obvious question.  "Did you direct "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom?"

She said, "Yes, I did!"

I added, "That was the first show I ever saw at 1st Stage.  It's like completing a circle."

And then I lied...  I told her I enjoyed the play.  I mean, she was so nice, and honestly the plays I've seen her act it have all been amazing.  She's a very talented actor.  

The characters were simply named One, Two and Three.  From L-R Patrick Joy as Two, Lolita Marie as Three and Ellis Greer as One.