He Asked For It
Playwright Erik Patterson certainly has lofty goals in his attempt to write the first “HIV” play as opposed to an “AIDS” play of the Tony Kushner era. Not from a hospital bed, but in places like internet chatrooms, on mobile phones, and using other modern technology, people reach out only to find themselves ultimately more alone. The play is about the life the Gay man in our ‘positive tested’ society of Los Angeles; and it is also about the ramifications of risky behavior.
In my opinion, however, this play has many problems. The first act doesn’t seem written for the theatre, but for television with its quick shifts from scene to scene, separated by lengthy set and costume changes, it never confronts a problem as it arises, but jumps to yet another situation. Provocative and ever changing images flash on a cyclorama attempting to cover these ‘black outs’, but cannot save the disjointed text. The audience drifts off and must be recaptured after each mini-intermission; concentration and involvement are broken. The first act becomes unbearably long and tedious.
The second act is better with fewer scene changes. The themes become more apparent, the emotional terrain the characters live in deepens. But then the protagonist dies and we are presented with a new and unexpected protagonist to follow to his epiphany. This shifting of the main character is a major problem. (In Angeles in America, the stated inspiration for this play, equal time was given to the two major characters up until the ending.) The super ‘Gay’ focus, (no other theme is touched upon,) prevents the transcendence to universal humanistic concerns that are a key element of a truly great play.
Actors Joe Egender, Andrew Keegan, Jeremy Glazer, Kyle Jordan, Carter Macintyre, Brain Unger are all excellent. Sarah Foret stands out as the younger sister of the first protagonist in the play. Refreshing and vibrant we believe in her youth and enthusiasm. She gives a vital and compelling performance.
Macha Theatre
1107 N. Kngs Road
Los angeles, Ca. 90069
June 12th-June 19th 2009