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The Boys Next Door Also see John's recent review of Psycho Beach Party The Boys Next Door was first introduced to me when I saw a production of it at the Dallas Theater Center. I can still remember how the end of the first act left me sobbing. The respect the actors had in portraying mentally challenged people with dignity and realism moved me in ways words cannot express. This play is not to be an evening of an audience cooing and whispering, "Oh, isn't that cute?" It is a piece that tries to show the audience that there is a mind working under the mental and physical problems that these people are dealing with from day to day. Since that time I have seen several productions of Tom Griffin's play about four mentally challenged men living together in a community that is specified for them. Some productions were superb, and yet others simply did not achieve what the piece was meant to be and represent. I had some apprehension about seeing another production of this play; my last viewing of this play did not go well. But my apprehension was calmed when, at the end of act one as the lights dimmed, I once again felt tears well up in my eyes as they did that first time at the Dallas Theater Center. Director B.J. Cleveland has under his belt nineteen years with Theatre Arlington and more than 300 shows as actor, director, and choreographer during 32 years in the business for regional theaters and tours, both national and international. Someone with that kind of background and wealth of experience has to know what works for the stage and how to bring the material to life. For The Boys Next Door, Cleveland has directed a piece that obviously shows that it comes from his heart. As usual, the pace is right on the money. This is an element of theater that is very important and Cleveland is keenly aware of it. He knows how to get that exposition out and going, and then knows just when to slow down to give a scene its "moment". Cleveland's triumph, though, in Boys Next Door is the integrity and regard he has for the material and for those who are mentally challenged. Instead of allowing the actors or the production to become an evening of customary stereotypical performances of over the top frenzied handicapped people, he makes sure that each actor handles his or her disability not only as realistically as possible, but in a way that gives them individuality. It should also be noted that I have found that Cleveland tends to select just the right pieces of music, from pop songs to appropriate instrumentals, to play during scene changes, thus adding another layer to create a mood or emotion. While this cast is top notch, three actors in particular do some of their best work in this production. Gary Payne as Arnold handles the character's paranoia with just the right dose of overwrought hysteria: never too big, but very meticulous in his body movements and tics. The character can rub the audience the wrong way and become annoying and a nuisance, but Payne steers clear of this path. While he does play Arnold as somewhat of a pain in the rear, he gives the character an even dose of sympathy and warmth. Payne's facial expressions and dead-on takes to the audience to bring home a joke had me in fits of uncontrollable laughter. From his first entrance (with the Randy Newman classic "Short People" playing) he has the audience eating out of his hands. Payne's comic timing and pace consistently hit the mark throughout the evening. Charles Ryan Roach is assigned the role of Norman Bulansky, who works part time at a doughnut shop. Norman may have the brain of a child, but he has a heart that is devoid of hatred. Roach gives a restrained and guileless performance. He unveils small hints of Norman's mental status through his body, facial expressions, and voice inflections, but never goes over the top. Ryan's portrayal of Norman has depth, beauty, and color. For the character's comic one liners, Roach keeps Norman's facial expressions blank, as if he is not really aware that he has said something funny, but all the while delivering the comedy with grand success. Roach succeeds in keeping Norman real and honest, not going into "Hallmark mental decease movie of the week" acting that seems to creep into actors' depictions of the mentally challenged. Roach has done mainly musicals and comedies, but with his work in this production, he gives his most compassionate and challenging performance to date. The third actor who earns kudos for giving his best performance is Dan Evers as the golf trainer, Barry Klemper. Evers gives a shattering and deeply emotional performance as Barry, who seems to be the most normal of the house mates, but sadly comes from a childhood that explodes back into his life in the second act. The role really is not a comic one, although it does come equipped with very funny one liners, comic situations, and setups. But the character has a heavy arc to follow through as the evening progresses. Evers is truly heartbreaking in this role. The fourth male roommate, Lucien P. Smith, is portrayed by Paris L. Ray. This is the character with the most severe state of mental retardation. He tends to be more childlike and repeats words and phrases three or four times. Ray has the physical demands of the role down pat, from the twitching eyes and tics to the unique walk Lucien has. Ray is kindhearted and exemplary in his performance. In the second act, Lucien has a meeting with the state board on his ability to either live on his own or to stay in the custody of the state. This scene has Lucien transforming from a child living in a man's body to an educated and well-spoken adult. Ray needs to take much more time and technique in the transformation from Lucien's crunched and slightly crippled body into a tall and normal body structure. Ray slides too fast in and out of the character's moment. But he is charming and delightful in the role. As Jack, the supervisor of the these four men, Ted Wold shows great compassion and care for his charges. Wold is relaxed and is very personal with the audience when he delivers his monologues. Wold gives his character an underlying theme, both verbally and non-verbally: that he is stressed and burned out on dealing with these mentally challenged men under his care. It is also a clever idea that when Wold talks as one of the four guys, he uses a physical and/or a speech pattern that resembled him. It makes sense that Jack would pick up some of their traits and characteristics after being with them for such a length of time. Jack is truly empathetic to these men, but he's ready to move on, and Wold's well-constructed performance expresses this perfectly. Bill Miller as Mr. Klemper looks exactly as a mean bastard would look: tall, dark hair, goatee, heavy country hick accent, and just plain wretched. But Miller needs to take more time in showing how the silence coming from his son is just too much to bear. Miller explodes way too soon; he does not allow that deafening quietness to swallow him in. Also, the slap that he gives Barry (Evers) is not realistic enough and slightly cheats the moment. The scene needs to have the realism of a harsh slap for the years of child abuse to wash over the audience in that one act of violence. It must read, "Dear god, this is what caused him to be this way." Miller is quite good in the role; he just needs to explore the subtext and he'll be on the same emotional plateau as Evers in that scene. Finally, attention must be paid to Aja Jones who plays Sheila, the mentally retarded young woman that Norman falls in love with. Jones is exquisite! She gives Sheila such innocence and warmth that the audience just falls in love with her. But Jones stays truly committed to her character's slurred and sporadic speech patterns and body posture. Both she and Roach have marvelous chemistry together and play off each other beautifully. Watch that act one final scene with these two dancing and what happens in their "own world"; it's a powerful scene. Some pundits may say that this script can be mawkish and overly sentimental, and in the wrong hands that can happen. But not with Theatre Arlington's mounting of Griffin's play. Its director and cast prevent this from happening. They instead bring sincerity, respect, and tender humaneness to the play. The Boys Next Door runs through Feb. 17. Performances are Thursday evenings at 7:30, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8, and matinees on Sundays at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $14 to $16 with discounts for students, senior citizens and groups. There will be a $5 preview performance Thursday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. with no reserved seating. Theatre Arlington offers $5 student rush tickets at all performances with current student ID starting five minutes prior to curtain, subject to ticket availability. For reservations and ticket information, call 817/275-7661. This production is rated PG-13 for some adult language. The Boys Next Door Director......................................... B.J. Cleveland CAST Arnold Wiggins........................................Gary Payne |
