Stories about life in the big city abound in the theater – complicated dramas about highly-strung people making endlessly clever quips that ricochet about the stage at speed. Which is why heading into a Midwest world, definitive Sam Shepard territory, is such a welcome change of pace for an Angeleno audience.
Considering most who live in town have their roots somewhere between the two coasts, it is unusual that more tales from the American heartland are not produced here with the fervor that proved pure revelation in the naturalistic theatrical style born of the 1970?s and 1980?s.
Playing downstairs on the more intimate of the two stages at the legendary Met Theater in LA, the tiny world of new play “The Outskirts of Paradise” is a story about husband and wife teetering on the razor’s edge of midlife crisis. The increasing confusion and disconnection they feel as individuals and as a couple is brought to the fore during one particular family gathering on Memorial Weekend.
The fact that their two grown children have moved away to the opportunities found in the city serves to remind the parents of their own unrequited dreams.? In fact, what they have built between them over the years is not loveless dissension but the essence and incarnation of a sweetly human ?paradise,? if only they could stop long enough to see it, engage each other and be grateful for it.
The action takes place over two acts and the cast seem well suited to their roles. As members of The Alliance Repertory Company (ARC), leads Bibi Tinsley and Brad Henson display a tangible relationship that has traveled the triumphs and pitfalls of a lengthy marriage.
And the ability to relax and live in the moment was effortless and most exciting from co-star Darryl Bryan, playing an understated catalyst to a couple?s unmentionable fears. Allowing the actors the freedom to naturally inhabit the stage was a good choice by director Adam Legg, although a noticeable oversight was to have the players perform without wedding rings given the story premise.
There was also question in using a ?ghost? character, a narration device almost snatched straight from famous Shepard one-act, Fool for Love. Yet it seemed to be more a question of incorrect costuming and lack of character direction than an unnecessary intrusion on plot structure in this instance.
Her first full-length work, playwright Jamie Virostko has taken a telescopic view into the complexities and questions that hold a picket fence ideal up against the reality that lies within the matrimonial dream.
At certain times there seemed little need for a character to speak so it may prove helpful to strip away some extraneous dialogue in order to heighten the stakes and strengthen the arc of the action.
That said, the writing is close to tapping the delicate poignancy needed to provoke us past being simply voyeurs and transport us directly into the experience because we feel more about the writer?s message than we see, and that we know her thoughts about family run straight, deep and true.
The production also stars Nick Ballard, Royana Black, Carolyn Freppel, Warren McCullough and Teddy Vincent.
The Outskirts of Paradise runs through September 15 at The Met Theater located at 1089 North Oxford Avenue, Hollywood CA 90029.
Tickets are $15 and are available thorough the box office reservation line 323.223.6564 for performances Thursday-Saturday at 8pm.
Parking lot is free on Santa Monica Boulevard, half a block east from the theater.
For more information about ARC go to www.savearc.com
