The Actors Group's Coming Attractions at the Playhouse on the Park
(out of 
)Mark S.P. Turvin
(home office) (602) 912-0117
I can be reached for comment via e-mail at: mspt@goldfishpublishers.com
Reviewed 10/9/97
(out of )The above statement is a quote from The Actors Group's latest production, the 1981 satire about society, entertainment, news and serial killers, Coming Attractions by Ted Tally. The script has its heart in the right place, condemning our societies inexplicable glorification of its ultra-violent members. Another paraphrased sentiment from the show sums this up: rob a store, jail time; kill a score, prime time. There's no doubt that there's something terribly wrong with a culture that manufactures and glorifies the likes of Son of Sam, John Wayne Gacey and the Boston Strangler. The problem with The Actors Group's production of this over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek satire is that it's played way-too-over-the-top, and in a knowingly, ingratiatingly tongue-in-cheek way, that winds up leaving the audience feeling like they've been chewing on aluminum foil for every millisecond of the 90 minutes (without intermission).
It's unclear if there is a way to play this musical (!) romp through Lonnie Wayne Burke's pathetic beginnings, jaded education by an agent, his choreographed killing spree, the resulting unbounded fame, and his ultimate retribution without getting this sensation. Talented director Wanda McHatton has chosen to direct almost all of the characters, save for the exploited Burke, to play their parts with a conspiritorial attitude between themselves and the audience. The result is the uncomfortable feeling that this important subject is being mocked, a one-eighty from the original intention of the piece. This was definitely not Ms. McHatton's intention, but a result of the chosen attitude of performances.
The most obvious example of this is Robert Harper's portrayal of the manipulative agent Manny, who saves Burke from a launderette hostage situation to mould him into a much feared and beloved serial killer. Mr. Harper speaks mostly to the audience, incorporating a derivative of the Sam Spade approach to narrative. His is a character without a single redeemable quality, although Mr. Harper plays everything with a knowing smile and a smugly justified air. Would that rotten fruit were allowed in the audience, since this melodramatic style warrants boos, hisses and tomato-throwing throughout.
Wasted in their various smarmy roles are Ginny Harman, Cathy Dresbach, Jim O'Brien and Stephen Muterspaugh. These actors are required to play up to ten roles a piece, none with a stitch of subtlety or moral fibre. Consistently awful in his various roles was Brett Larson, save for his portrayal of the plot-stopping (yet inexplicably, oddly enjoyable) Moslem terrorist/comedian.
The only worthwhile performance came from Michael Eddy as the manipulated "Halloween Killer." Ms. McHatton had Mr. Eddy play his part earnestly, and the result was nearly touching as the clock wound down against his character. There's a sense that if this character choice had been made consistently by any other of the actors, perhaps the evening would not have been so utterly offensive and unbelievably hateful.
Rob Sliskovich's set design was appropriate, centering a ten-foot television on-stage as the playing space for the enthusiastically horrible actions. The limited facilities for lighting were overcome and well-handled by Lisa Newman's design. David Anaya's costumes were all appropriate, as was Tim Butterfield's sound design. The canned music by Doug Durant was well done, even if it inadvertantly added more to the despicable air of the show.
It's sad when satire goes so unbelievably and disgustingly
awry. America may love violence and bad taste, but even middle
America has its limits. Honorable sentiments and earnest performance
and directing attempts aside, almost everything that goes on during
the performance of Coming Attractions has such an air of
smugness and burlesque as to make the show better suited for a
maximum-security prison rather than a theatre.
Production Details:
Coming Attractions by Ted Tally
Playhouse on the Park at the Viad Corporate Center, Phoenix
252-8497
October 9th-October 26th, 1997