By Dessa Bayrock (The Cascade) – Email
One For The Road
By Harold Pinter
Directed by Megan Davies (UFV Alumnus)
Running time: Paired with The Most Massive Woman Wins, total running time 45 minutes
Showings: Friday at 10:30 p.m. and Sunday at 4:10 p.m.
Memorable lines: “Do you think I’m mad? My mother did.”
“I’m talking about the Old Testament God, of course. I’m a long way from being Jewish.”
“I’m prepared to be frank, as a true friend should: I love death.”
Warnings: Implied violence, mature themes, some F-bombs.
I don’t wish to alarm you, but this play takes place in the future.
At least, I think so. Fitting with the absurd style of Pinter, the audience is given no clear sense of place or time, The colour scheme is monochromatic; costumes and set alike are, for the most part, silver, white, or black. This colour choice, combined with the clean lines of the set, paints a scene both futuristic, and austere. One scene change in particular lights an actor’s face by an iPad alone – this, combined with a classical piano score as background music, is the perfect combination of timeless elegance and futurism.
As the play continues, the audience begins to see the shape of the world being presented: a Huxley-esque futuristic dystopia, with mentions of soldiers, institutions, and all-powerful leaders.
J.D. Dueckman, as Nicholas, could own the show through pure volume of lines alone but also delivers the goods, capturing the character perfectly; he is eloquent, confident, comfortable, and a little bit crazy. The dialogue verges on monologue, interrupted only as Dueckman coaxes – interrogates – answers from the three other characters (Dylan Coulter as Victor and Shannon Hayes as Nicky and Gila).
As is the case with most absurd theatre (of which Pinter is a leader) lines are abrupt, and quickly flit from one topic to another. Where these breaks and transitions could easily deteriorate awkwardly, Dueckman shines; his delivery is both polished and impeccable. All three actors dive into the material completely, and they lend the material the (sometimes intense) emotion necessary to enthrall the audience in an world very different from our own. Coulter, for one, clenches his jaw so thoroughly and so steadily through the first scene that my own jaw began to ache (at least, he appeared to – I suppose they’re called actors for a reason).
It is, again, an absurdist piece, and not necessarily every audience member’s cup of tea. That being said, I would recommend this play at the top of shows not to miss this Dfest.
