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THEATER REVIEW: Power Plays by Balagula Theatre

By Candace Chaney Contributing Theater Critic

What do you get when you take two of Lexington’s most talented actors, give them challenging material, a keen-visioned director, an intimate space in which to perform and an attentive audience?

Something akin to Power Plays, Balagula Theatre’s latest production, housed in the cozy restaurant Natasha’s Bistro.

Written by Elaine May and Alan Arkin, these “plays” present two short, one-act pieces with each scenario differing vastly from the other, yet, as the title suggests, related by the common theme: power. And yet it isn’t just the obvious, might-makes-right type of power that is explored, but a wide spectrum of possible power struggles — from the individual’s plight with his or her place in society, to the grab for domination between two people, to the inner battle of conquering one’s own fears and insecurities.

At any point in the production, several or all of these power struggles might intersect, overlap, collide, triumph or retreat. The effect is, well, powerful.

But the source of each of the two plays’ cohesive yet unique presentation of power is the sense of subtlety, timing and versatility mastered by its two actors, Shayne Brakefield and Ryan Case.

In the first play, The Way of All Fish, Brakefield and Case don dresses and wigs to play, respectively, a meek, pushover secretary, Miss Riverton, and her wealthy, high-level executive boss, Ms. Asquith. When the two share an unorthodox after-work evening of drinks and dinner, the shift of power becomes unorthodox as well, namely because the mild-mannered Miss Riverton confesses her dream to become famous by murdering someone famous and rich, like Ms. Asquith.

The second play, Virtual Reality, involves two seemingly low-life crooks hired to do a job in a warehouse. What the job is is never revealed, but the two immediately butt heads and, later, imaginations. When the boss, De Recha (Brakefield), insists to Lefty (Case) that they do a mock-up of the job — in essence, that they pretend to do the job via pantomime, to practice — Lefty balks and later relents. The two effectively end up making their own impromptu sort of theater in which they explore a darker side of power.

While each of the premises is far-fetched and ostensibly comedic, director Ed Desiato’s vision isn’t focused on just the funny bone.

Brakefield’s and Case’s dynamic performances garner plenty of robust laughter from the audience, but their emotional delivery is turn-on-a-dime fast and, what’s more, impressively nuanced. Each of the actors’ characters is wildly different, almost opposite, and not just in gender. Each actor, but most markedly Case, does an excellent job of fleshing out entirely believable, compelling, fully-formed characters. At any point, we might feel saddened by a character’s emotional confession, only to dislike his/her following ugliness. Or we might suddenly laugh at his/her absurdity or hold our breath with suspense when the power shifts boldly from one character to the other.

Power Plays is the first time Brakefield and Case have worked together. The talented duo share a palpable chemistry that results in a memorable evening of rare quality, intimacy, and above all, meaningful entertainment.