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The Abandoned Reservoir
The above paragraph comes from the program of this very dark comedy by the late Stuart Litchfield, which is now having its world premiere at the Ground Zero Theater Company. On June 16, 2001, playwright-actor Litchfield died an unexpected death. As an actor, he had performed all over America and in London. As a playwright, his works were performed by GZTC and Soul Rep. His 1999 play, Hoover Sucks, was produced to critical acclaim in the New York Fringe Festival. The Abandoned Reservoir is an extremely dark, bleak comedy that has you laughing out loud, but then descends into gloomy reality that leaves you desolate. The play begins in a farm house in Kansas where Dusty (Jenny Wood), a student at Bob Dole High School, is rehearsing her dramatic interpretation piece for a forensics meet which can earn her a spot at the State competition. In this house we also meet Dusty's mom Aldeen (Lulu Ward), Aldeen's boyfriend George (Wm. Paul Williams), and Grandma (P.L. Moore), who is suffering from Alzheimer's. To complete the set of characters, we later meet Zulu (Nadir Akram), who is Dusty's friend, and finally there's Aldeen's best friend Trish (Cindee Mayfield), who just got out of rehab. By the above description this sounds like an over the top comedy, and at times it is. But this could have easily been miscast and the depictions of these roles would become caricatures of white trash drug addicts. For a while that might have been humorous, but it would eventually become tiresome and wear itself out. Director James Venhaus steers clearly away from this and in return presents a production that is both hysterical and heartwrenching, even uncomfortable at times to watch, for it slowly enters blinding realism. Venhaus obviously has the gift for perfect casting; each performer brings to the table the visual and psychological subtext that their roles require to provide hilarious and piercing performances from the entire company. This director does not allow the company to become false, thus the comedy is rich, but it also helps the audience enter the pathetic world of drug addiction. The pace works well within the time frame of events exposed on stage. Venhaus creates blocking that directs the mood of the performer like clockwork and precision. The director has his cast smoking weed, snorting meth, and drinking nonstop. It should be noted that Venhaus has one hell of a set to work on. Frank Thomas, Jr.'s scenic design is so realistic its almost eerie. The rundown, unkempt look of the decaying home has grease stains, peeling wall paper, dark brown patches on the walls, and a disgusting stove in a tacky kitchen. Even the couch and chair have the look of used Motel 6 furniture. Rebekka Koepke's props also deserve kudos for adding another visual layer of white trash decor. She has National Enquirer magazines on the coffee table, awful pictures that you know Aldeen found in some dumpster, and a throw blanket on the couch depicting the painting of those dogs playing poker! The set expertly reflects the world from which Dusty is trying so desperately to escape. David Fisher and Russell K. Dyer's lighting design creates the mood of a beige world with its natural colors. There is also a clever touch of having a blue blinding light come from the TV set during scenes changes; this works like a charm. Ryan Matthieu Smith's costumes come from the world of Target, Kmart, and the Salvation Army. Smith clothed his actors with hilarious comic subtext. Venhaus truly has cast this production with top notch talent. Jenny Wood brings you to her heart as Dusty, who sadly is named after the drug of choice her mom was using at that time - angel dust. Wood resembles Betty Boop: all black curls, angelic face, and sass. Dusty is living in a home of drug addicts and a grandmother who has a few sandwiches missing from her picnic basket. Wood gives Dusty a strong conviction and determination that is easy to admire. Thanks to Wood's deeply heartfelt performance, you feel her pain and loss in this world. In Lulu Ward's bio she states she has been on a two year hiatus, and all I can say is thank god she's back! The way she delves into her character Aldeen is a comedic tour de force. Ward's hair is designed as though the warden was two minutes too late to stop the electrical execution, and with her makeup in act two, her face resembles Tammy Faye Bakker's face if done by Marilyn Manson. Her performance as a slutty, vodka drinking, drug taking momma who is celebrating her 40th birthday is hilarious. Trish is portrayed by Cindee Mayfield, and her performance is magnificent in its gut wrenching honesty and uproarious histrionics. Mayfield's "look" is that of early Courtney Love, when she was with Cobain but before Versace and Armani got hold of her and cleaned her up. Mayfield's acting craft of Trish on drugs is rollicking, but then she takes you on a very uncomfortable ride. Mayfield contorts, snorts, and simply bounces off the walls with spastic energy - as someone would on hardcore meth. The comedy that Mayfield has created slowly falls to the sides, and you see the harsh reality of a drug addict. Mayfield is that powerful in her acting. She even tells Dusty, "That's what I am, a drug addict." She's not apologizing, nor asking for sympathy, but instead just facing the life she leads. Mayfield and Ward leave vanity behind in order to create truthful characterizations. Both actresses wear outfits that are not flattering, practically no makeup at all, hair greasy and mousy. These two take to heart the physical look of the women they portray, and for that they should also be commended for it adds a lot of authenticity to their characters. Wm. Paul Williams is a perfect match for Ward as George, who is 100% redneck, right down to the greasy overalls. Williams is highly amusing as the horn dog of a man who decides to give his girlfriend (Ward) for her birthday a meth lab! His performance is so realistic, he reminds me of some of the redneck men in my hometown. Williams is a hoot. Nadir Akram's character is written slightly weak in the first act, but it is in the second act where the character comes to life, both on paper and in Akram's heart breaking performance. Zulu is Dusty's friend, only to become more than that as the play goes on. Akram has one of the hardest monologues within in the piece, but the young actor handles it with poignant emotion. P.L. Moore is the grandmother who is slowly losing her mind. To keep her calm, Dusty puts on some of George's porn tapes to watch, which causes grandma to yell some pretty naughty comments ("Lesbians!") that make the audience laugh and blush. Litchfield's script is gritty and shows how grotesque drug addiction is. The playwright creates a wall of laughs, jokes, and sight gags; when the wall is slowly taken down, brick by brick, he shows you the naked truth of drug addiction, parents who don't know how to love their children, and the emptiness of life. Just when you think Litchfield is heading toward a predictable resolution, outcome, or plotline, he instead takes a totally different route, providing little surprises throughout the evening. If there are any complaints of this production, it would be that the script could use a cut here, a nip there. This production is the kind of theater that I love so much. It makes you think, feel, reflect, and discuss after leaving the show. My only regret is that I wish I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Litchfield and thank him for one incredible evening of theater. He would have been extremely proud of the job Venhaus and his cast have done with his play. The Abandoned Reservoir played through June 8 at the Bath House Cultural center. 521 E. Lawther, Dallas, Texas. The Abandoned Reservoir CAST |
