Content-wise, it takes up the story of two couples from two separate generations of gay men in New York City. Both of which are no longer coupled by the end of part 1. The story's conceit is that it is being written by one of the characters, a young gay actor named Adam McDowell who is being assisted by the ghost/muse of E. M. Forster in the character of Morgan. Adam is not a member of either couple, but does manage to find himself in both self-serving and regrettably compromising situations with members of each.
Once the show starts, the stage is populated by a dozen men running the full range of sexually appealing. As far as I can tell, only 1 is local--the casting call's net won the damned lottery. With its expansive constraints, one can imagine that having the chance to be part of these plays is like getting a golden ticket in Wonka Chocolate bar.
Within the ensemble are ALL the characters of the play. The stage utilizes the huge rotating platform that was the detached stage in last season's "Bad Books". It takes about as much of the middle of the performance area as 75% and is elevated. Actors step up upon it when participating in a scene and otherwise lounge and react around the edges when not. The sides and back are defined by a huge facade of some 18th century manor house all painted white and projected upon with images at key moments to great effect.
In this segment of the tale, five characters stand out. The younger couple--together for seven years. Eric Glass is practical and genial, works for a civil rights organization and lives in a not to be believed rent-controlled apartment in the upper west side which makes people think he's rich in stead of just legacy-lucky. His lover is Toby Darling, a ne'er-do-well who has spent those seven years writing a book that he's turned into a play that is about to be produced...in Chicago. Toby is wild, loose, irresponsible... insatiable. Eric is domestic, maternal, a power bottom--hey, we all have our little peccadilloes!
The older couple have more money than God. The actor playing Morgan doubles for Walter Poole, the more domestic member of this duo. Walter and Henry have a home in the country, a home in the Hampton's, a condo two floors above Eric's apartment, and an apartment in Paris. As younger men, they fled New York during the height of the AIDS crisis to live in seclusion and presumed safety in their country home. Henry (Wilcox) is a real estate mogul for whom the isolation proved toxic. After a year, he was off to London and Paris and all the other places he goes to make his millions. Left alone in the country, Walter eventually returned to the city, too, where he discovered that their tribe was losing the war on HIV/AIDS. He turned their country retreat into a hospice, where countless of their friends, acquaintances, and as many strangers spent their final days.
There's a lot more, but you get the idea.
Within each of the first three acts, there comes a point when one of the characters seems to have a moment. A monumental soliloquy. A chance to take on the spotlight and both advance the plot, flesh out their personal narrative, and shine--mother-fucker SHINE!--as an actor. I don't know how conscious a decision in the design of the play this choice was, but if I can figure it out ... I'm not that clever.
Act I the spotlight falls on Robert Sella as the Walter Poole half of his split roles. It is here that he tells the story of turning the country house into an AIDS Hospice and it was so magnificent. I didn't even try to stop the tears. I've perfected the art of silent crying.
Act II went to Jordi Bertrán Ramírez as the young actor/author Adam McDowell. Here would be a good place to mention that the show is overtly HOMOSEXUALLY EXPLICIT. It comes with a suggestion that it is not appropriate for anyone under 16. My 16-year-old self would have spent three-and-a-half hours fighting to conceal a raging hard on if I had come to see it back in 1977; however, in 1977, I don't think it would have been legal to see it anyways! Ramírez begins the scene stark naked taking a shower. (Stickers are placed over the cameras on audience members cell phones when we arrive to remind us that photographs are NOT permitted!) At the time, the camera in my phone was the farthest thing on my mind...more like Donatello's David without the Helmet--read between the lines, you're not stupid. He then slips on a pair of tightly whities and a wife-beater T shirt over his fat-free, Renaissance perfectly sculpted body, before telling the tale of the time he incited an orgy in a Prague bathhouse as evidence that he is not a virgin. Not that I'm a connoisseur, but the tale as told bests any pornographic description of the same that I have ever...er, stumbled upon--and comports nicely with...hmmm, how do I say this? Personal research on the subject--though I have never been to Prague.
Act III belonged to Eric Glass and a consideration of the dissolution of his relationship with Toby. If you've ever loved someone deeply, and lost them--well, silent crying is really a gift. In all three, the acting was off the charts, tour-de-force enthralling.
Final thoughts: you may know that I am a devotee to a small handful of TV shows/franchises. Law & Order is one of them. It was so good at using actors from the Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway pool in casting its characters. Many of these folks were and remained primarily stage actors. Over the years, I have had the immense privilege of experiencing their genius in person through productions here in the DMV. Among my most cherished are Christopher Donahue, Lizan Mitchell, Kathleen Chalfant, and Robert Stanton. To this list I can now add, Robert Sella.
I have my ticket for part II in two weeks, on the 14th. I know I will be holding these characters and their fates close to my heart between now and then. The show just opened on the 27th and so no press photos have been released. In lieu of this, I will post head shots of the actors I have discussed here.
I have to say that this was such an excellent way to kick off my 10th Year of Attending DMV Theatre.
