Larchmont Chronicle
OCTOBER 2023
SECTION ONE
29
Suicide as ‘heartwarming,’ Christian nationalism and Freud Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in America. Before 2019, most suicides were white males, but cases have risen among women and minority groups (John Hopkins, “How to Talk About Suicide,” 6/15/22). I am hesitant to call a play about suicide “heartwarming” or “inspiring,” but Every Brilliant Thing, at the Geffen through Sun., Oct. 15, is. The talented Daniel K. Isaac plays a young man, from age 7 to middle age, whose mother tries, and finally “succeeds,” in killing herself. He draws up an ever-expanding list of beautiful things to give her and himself reasons to live. But to call Isaac’s a “solo” performance is wrong: audience members play everyone from the vet who puts down the family dog to Isaac’s father, wife and more. Staged in the round, the audience is cradled in a comforting set of crocheted blankets (my mother called them “afghans”). This is theater at its best: healing, human and holistic. The only depressing fact, on reading the clever program, is that the play — like Peter Pan Goes Wrong, or The Lehman Trilogy — was developed in England. Why can’t American “writers’ workshops” produce anything this good? geffenplayhouse.org. Another statistic is the growth of the conservative wing of the American Catholic Church. This is the Christian nationalism of Steve Bannon, Ginni Thomas and Amy Coney Barrett. It is the atmosphere playwright Will Arbery grew up in and explores in his Heroes of the Fourth Turning, produced by Rogue Machine at the Matrix, through Mon., Oct. 16. A “Big Chill” for the theologically repressed, the action takes place as four alumni of a small Catholic college (modeled on the one Arbery’s parents led) return for the installation of its new president. The four, played with pitch-perfect precision, passion and compassion, have
discovered that “truth,” so self-evident in class, is not so obvious in life. Their faith has been challenged and they seek spiritual confirmation, but don’t get it from their favorite prof, now president (the extraordinary Roxanne Hart), who challenges them to think, pray harder and man up. The performances are excellent, but Arbery’s play is problematic. He wants us to hate the sin (Christian nationalism) but not the sinners (nice people), and seems to have geared his play for an audience that has never seen Fox News. Liberals believe there will be some event that will finally get the MAGA world to see the light. Christian nationalists believe they are on a mission from God. Arbery could have issued them a sterner challenge. roguemachinetheatre.org.
What to watch for
Theater Review by
Louis Fantasia Blood at the Root is Dominique Morisseau’s polemic dramatization of the 2006 “Jena Six” case in rural Louisiana, at the Open Fist through Sat., Oct. 28. Six Black high school students were arrested for attacking a white student, charged, and tried as adults. An earlier incident of white students hanging nooses from a campus tree was written off as a “prank.” These events gained national media coverage, massive demonstrations and investigations by the FBI and Congress. The offending tree was chopped down.
Casa 0101 Theater presents the world premiere of Josefina Lopez’s “Queen of the Rumba, A Play With Dance,” through Oct. 22; Gloria Molina Auditorium in Boyle Heights. 323-263-7684. “Sea of Terror,” a dark comedy about social anxiety by Emmy Award-winner Sam Catlin, runs at the Hudson Main Stage through Oct. 29. onstage411.com/SeaOfTerror for tickets. Agatha Christie’s “Towards Zero” plays at Theatre 40 in Beverly Hills through Oct. 22; www.Theatre40.org. 310364-0535. But none of these remedies intrude into the play. The dynamic, young ensemble — and Michael A. Shepperd’s crisp direction — can’t hide the fact that Ms. Morisseau has an ax to grind, and it’s not against the tree. Racism is still a stain on this country, but we are not where we were in the 1950s. www.openfist.org. If all of this makes you want to see a shrink, I heartily recommend Freud on Cocaine
at the Whitefire Theater through Sat., Nov. 4. whitefiretheatre.com. Howard Skora’s high-octane romp shows young Sigmund making his mark by writing “studies” on the non-addictive benefits of cocaine for Merck and Parke-Davis (true). Purdue pharma and oxy, anyone? Addict Freud quits cold turkey, starts to dream and the rest is history. A ton of prop coke (I hope!) fuels the first-rate cast.
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OCTOBER
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‘Folio turns 400’ staged Oct. 7, 8
“Shakespeare’s Folio Turns 400” will be explored in staged readings at Greystone Theater, 905 Loma Vista Dr. in Beverly Hills. Larchmont Chronicle columnist Louis Fantasia will direct numerous actors invarious scenes from the Bard’s plays. “Hamlet” will be featured on Sat., Oct 7, at 7 p.m., and “As You Like It,” is on Sun., Oct. 8 at 3 p.m. For tickets and more information visit beverlyhills.org/ greystonetheatre.
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