May 16, 2005
THEATER REVIEW
Male madness in a supernatural world
by Rob Kendt
Magic realism makes an odd fit with the free-floating angst of a
male midlife crisis in Sam Shepard's "Eyes for Consuela," based on an
Octavio Paz short story, "The Blue Bouquet." In director Stephen
Rothman's intermittently stirring new production at Cal State L.A.'s State
Playhouse, the two stylesÑworldviews, reallyÑshare the stage almost casually,
without producing the illuminating sparks we might hope.
Shepard's subject here, as always, is manhood, both its madness
and its meaning. In Henry (Cliff De Young) and Amado (Jonathan C.K. Williams),
he has a sharp contrast at hand: a drifting American on a downscale tropical
vacation from himself, and a Mexican noble savage with inscrutable motives and
an apparently direct relationship to the spirit world.
What links these two is never quite convincing, either as a
metaphor or as a real threat of violence: The machete-bearing Amado, out
looking for freshly plucked blue eyes to bring his lover Consuela (Alyta
Kivisels), happens on HenryÑor does he?Ñwhile the latter is in the jungle,
rehearsing a one-sided dialogue with his estranged wife.
Once the two are together in a hotel room, Shepard is in his
element. Tequila flows and the men compare notes on the intertwining mysteries
of women, fate and change. It's not major Shepard, but at least it's
recognizable Shepard. De Young gives Henry's reluctant confessions a searching,
impacted intensity under Williams' unwaveringly virile, challenging gaze.
When the play returns to Paz's stark fable of retribution,
"Eyes" switches gears with mixed results. Donna Ruzika's lighting,
which is too even and bright for the hotel set, is dense and lush for the
exterior, while the hypnotic Kivisels and Patrick Gorman, as a perpetually
smoking oldster, give us a tantalizing glimpse of a different play altogether.
So does the tasty live accompaniment by Randy and Scott Rodarte.
But Henry's response to the supernatural is to keep blabbing
neurotically in its face. A well-timed pause to register deep unease would go a
long way toward making "Eyes for Consuela" a real eye-opener.
*
'Eyes for Consuela'
Where: SegWAY Theater Project, State Playhouse, Cal State L.A.,
5151 State University Drive, L.A.
When: 8 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays
Ends: May 21
Price: $15
Contact: (323) 343-4118
Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes