THEATRE: BURN THIS

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BURN THIS

 

I’m telling you up-front that I’m over-analyzing this play. So, enjoy the insights, but know that I think that overall, it’s worth seeing.

I had seen Burn This as a younger chick, and didn’t understand what the drama with the two main characters was about. So, I was anxious to see it again with the perspective of a person with more life experience. But, I still don’t get it. Whew! I was afraid I had grown-up for a second.

I bet you can figure out which character is which in this picture.

That being said, it seemed like the opening night audience at the Mark Taper Forum loved just about every minute of the show. And why not? There’s tons to recommend it. Two of the four performances are wonderful, two of the men are handsome, (I actually think the title should be changed to Two Cute Guys and a Funny Gay Guy,) and the Ralph Funicello-designed set is great.

So is lots of the writing, with some really witty lines. I just don’t get the focus of the story. But that could be just me; I’ve never been good at reading between the lines. Or it could be the actors or direction. But I really think the problem is in the Lanford Wilson writing. (The man died last month, so I don’t have to worry about hurting his feelings by saying that.)

The press release describes it thusly: “Anna is a dancer-choreographer who has lost Robbie, her best friend and collaborator, in a tragic accident. Pale is Robbie’s brother, a powder-keg lost in his own way, who arrives at her doorstep in the middle of the night. Pale is dangerous, sexy, raw and demanding, and he interrupts the course of Anna’s existence bringing major changes in her life.”

That’s not how I saw it at all, and I want to explain, while reminding you that, no matter my analysis here, it’s worth seeing, if only for the brilliant performance of Brooks Ashmanskas as the gay friend of the girl who’s story this is. He provided a lot of laughs that I don’t remember from the earlier production I saw. But, if you’re like me and don’t want to know anything about the story going in, skip down to the fourth paragraph from the bottom.

Here’s how I saw it: Apparently, another gay roommate of Anna’s, a fellow dancer, died in an accident and she and Larry, the other gay roommate, had just returned from his funeral. Either I misunderstood where they said it was or the writing was strange on that part. Also, although they said they were both at the funeral, they seemed to be telling each other about, so I’m sure my active mind missed something there.

Before Larry shows up, another guy bursts in to the apartment to comfort her, and I swear, I thought he was supposed to be another gay friend. I didn’t realize until the middle of the second act that he was supposed to be her boyfriend! There was absolutely no connection between the two. The actor, Ken Barnett, was really attractive and well-cast, so, again, the problem was either with me or Zabyna Guevara’s portrayal of Anna.

So, the show goes on, and in the middle of the night, in walks this stranger, played by Adam Rothenberg, who I think will have a big career ahead of him. Turns out, he’s the brother of the deceased roommate, and he’s drunk, or something, and super New York-y, even though I had thought they said his family comes from someplace else, so it took me a while to get over that. But later, they said he was from New Jersey, so it was probably my bad for spacing out at the beginning of plays sometimes.

Anyway, Adam was fun and funny, and the scene was practically a monologue for him. My problem with that super-long scene was twofold: first, since it was supposed to be the middle of the night, the stage lighting was way too dark, which is murder on the eyes and hard to stay awake during. Could the girl character, whose apartment it was, just put on a light??? Would that direction have been so hard?

Second, (look away if you don’t want to know the action,) the two wind-up sleeping together, which there was absolutely no build-up to! Anna seemed horrified by Pale (an obnoxious, way-too-contrived name for the character to begin with,) argued about everything he said, (and not in the fun, playful, flirty way,) barely says two words to him, and bam–they’re doing it! And this wasn’t set in the free-love sixties–it was the much-more-serious, AIDS-addled late eighties. There was no reason for this behavior whatsoever. No attraction between the two was demonstrated prior to Pale’s jumping on top of Anna. To me, it looked more like stranger molestation than a mutual thing.

And, even though the actor was cute enough, the character was more of a joke, a guy only dumb girls could sleep with. I’ve had some friends like Pale, when I was a club promoter, and trust me, none of us girls could have gone near them. They were gorgeous, but with personalities like that, we just laughed at, and with, them.

So, before Pale leaves the next morning, he mentions his “old lady,” (again–not the sixties!,) and even shows Anna pictures of his two kids, and not a whit of any emotion from her at all! None. This time, I know it’s not me–several audience members I spoke with expressed the same surprise.

So, anyhow, after intermission, it’s New Year’s Eve, Anna and her supposed boyfriend have just returned from a soirée. BTW–I still don’t have a clue this is her boyfriend. When they sit on the couch and he’s almost kissing her, I’m wondering what’s going on with that, not realizing this is supposed to be her beau.

Thanks goodness Brooks’ Larry enters again, so we all can resume paying attention again. I won’t tell you what happens from there, but I will say that when the end came, none of us even knew it was the end! Strange play, serving no purpose, which is what I believe I thought the first time.

All that being said, I really loved discovering the three male actors, and look forward to seeing them all again, often. (Although, I wish that Adam would have stopped putting his hair behind his ears every second. It was so distracting and seemed more like a habit of the actor, not the character. And while we’re on his hair, ever hear of washing it? Ugh. Cute as he is, with abs that are so tight they don’t even look real, I could not go near a guy with dirty hair. Or one that had just vomited, but that’s part of the story, as well. Ew.)

I feel bad the female did nothing for me, but I have to be honest. She wasn’t bad, she just did nothing for me. But, type-wise, she was well-cast as a dancer. I could believe it.

The Taper doesn’t have many opening night parties anymore, which I’m sure the economy has a lot to do with, and I totally understand. But this is one time I wish that they had thrown one because I would have liked to see the cast outside these roles. Then I could have gotten to the bottom of Adam/Pale’s hair situation for you.

Burn This running through May 1, 2011
Mark Taper Forum 135 N. Grand Ave. 213-628-2772
www.CenterTheatreGroup.org

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