“Turkeys,” a one-act drama written and directed by Anthony Bryan Lexington Smith ’11, is a multidimensional piece of theater that captures the dark complexity of human relationships. Assembled around the remains of a terminated marriage, the play depicts a broken family as it chafes against its own severed connections. In a remarkable display of talent, the thematic elements of homosexuality, parenthood, and penitence join to form a piece that was, during its Oct.15-17 run, quite simply, excellent.
Most importantly, the script at the heart of the production is well-written. The characters themselves each possess genuine psychological detail, but the real satisfaction is to be had in the dynamics between them. Also noteworthy is Smith’s use of flashbacks, but not merely as crutches for narrative purposes. We see in these glimpses specific moments of conflict in characters’ pasts, which, rather than functioning to haphazardly insert plot points, serve instead to vividly enhance issues that have already begun to undergo careful development.
Onstage, the richness of Smith’s characters was thoroughly brought to fruition by the talents and labors of his cast. Sabina Friedman-Seitz ’11 and Timothy Dodds ’11 were excellent as Mona, the protagonist, and James, her ex-husband, and each made genuine the frustration of not knowing exactly how to feel toward one other amidst anger, lingering affection, regret and perhaps a tinge of happiness. Bennett Kirschner ’13 gave an equally strong performance as Jacob, their son, a teen experiencing calculated, cold rage but also tormented by a hurt, wounded interior.
Phillip Ross ’12’s role as Gideon, James’s new boyfriend, seemed to beg for more flamboyance, which Ross occasionally delivered but for the most part substituted with stereotypically “straighter” characteristics that decreased the contrast between his character and Dodds’s. His choices, however, were quite effective nonetheless, for they ultimately showed depth beneath Gideon’s seemingly shallow exterior. Additionally, any doubt about Ross’s (or Dodds’s, for that matter) ability to fully commit to the challenge of a straight actor playing a gay role was obliterated by an impressively convincing deep kiss. As one audience member aptly phrased it on opening night: “respect.”
The set consisted exclusively of furniture. There were no backdrops other than a curtain, which when put into context mimetically lent itself to the décor of a psychiatrist’s office. Lighting was simple but effective, and when mixed with a creative use of the space it allowed for seamless transitions between current events and flashbacks.
The running time of the show, though not even an hour and a half in entirety, seemed just a little bit too long. This is perhaps due to the condensation of some very big ideas into a single act, which is, however, more of a strong point than a weakness. A few particular, nitpicky criticisms aside, “Turkeys” was fine work from the ground up. It was well written, well directed, and well performed, to say nothing of the impressive level of support and artistic input from its production team. The cast and crew should be more than proud of this show.
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