For those of you who don’t make a habit of going to plays on the weekend, make an exception. If you want to get a sense of the excellent theater Wesleyan can produce, you are not likely to see a better example. “Tape” packs into one hour the kind of emotional intensity and talent that most student actors embarrass themselves trying to replicate. In a crackling script, a pair of best friends played by Ben Smolen ’10 and Chris Correa ’10 crack open a few beers, exchange witty banter, and reminisce over memories of high school rape. It’s a dark comedy made all the more cuttingly realistic by the humor which pervades nearly every scene. The fast-paced dialogue, interrupted by achingly realistic moments of silent tension, makes the audience feel almost voyeuristic. This sense of voyeurism is enhanced by Matt Larkin ’10’s hyper-realistic set, in which the audience comprises two walls of a seedy motel room.
The emotional core of the show is undoubtedly Correa, whose brilliant performance is by turns wounded, bullying, and gloriously unpretentious. His charisma and energy are an inconvenience, however, when they highlight the mediocrity of his scene partners. Smollen has the perfect voice and appearance for his role, yet he is too awkward an actor. He seems unwilling to reciprocate the chemistry initiated by Correa, and makes their friendship look a bit stilted and unnatural. It is only in his heartfelt apology to Amy (Caitlin Winarski ’10) that his performance becomes believable and empathetic. As the former romantic partner of both men, a woman placed in the most awkward situation imaginable, Amy is a challenging role to play. A likeable actress, Winarski gives a decent performance, but she lacks the quality of taut, layered emotion necessary for a character whose pain has been buried for ten years. One gets the sense that she has an excellent director but a sub-par emotional connection to the character. It is worth noting, however, that this review is being written a week before the show (as all press previews will be), and unsure line memorization may detract from her performance.
Director Margaux Weisman has produced an impressive piece of naturalistic theatre that is as entertaining as it is socially important. The play manages to deal with issues such as sexual assault and personal revisionism without ever becoming heavy-handed or preachy. Taking its energy from Correa’s raw honesty, the show is rife with moments that seem too personal to display. As the lights dim, viewers are left feeling as if they’ve just watched something they weren’t meant to see. And they are so, so grateful.
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“Tape” by Stephen Belber
* * * * (out of five)
Directed by Margaux Weisman ’09
Thursday, Oct. 4 to Saturday, Oct. 6, all shows at 8 p.m. with a matinee on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the ’92 Theatre
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