BWW Reviews: An Evening of Short Plays at Brown Box's BOXER SHORTS

I have now seen quite a few productions at Brown Box Theatre Project and I have to say, I think they're coming into their own. As the resident company at Atlantic Wharf, Brown Box faces a constant challenge of an unconventional and downright difficult playing space. Somehow, they must find a way to create a personal and intimate environment in the middle of a cavernous, public lobby ridden with cell-phone takers and chatty restaurant patrons. I've found that each production I've seen by this company has taken a step further in figuring out exactly how to present a play in this space and Boxer Shorts: an evening of short plays has certainly come the farthest so far.

Boxer Shorts is a ninety-minute night consisting of four short plays from three classic 20th century playwrights (Beckett, Pinter, and Williams) and one contemporary playwright (Raznovich). One play moves seamlessly into the next and although they do not share similarities of style, subject matter, or length, the night flows.

The space provides next to nothing in terms of environment, so it was up to the designers to not only set the scene, but also somehow connect all four very different pieces. Immediately upon arrival, I was amazed by how the venue was transformed scenically, the work of Set Designer Mac Young. The focal point of the room was a towering jigsaw puzzle of luggage, books, chairs, and lamps fashioned together in an imposing wall of mismatched items. It felt almost like a storage room of a hotel or a baggage claim on a train. It was all rather rustic, warm, and vintage, setting a very specific atmosphere and capturing the audience's attention immediately. This amalgamation of misfit items seemed appropriate, somehow grounding four wildly varied plays.

Other design elements complemented the grandiose set piece. Lighting, by Ian King, varied stylistically from piece to piece, ranging from time sensitive, speedy spotlights to a dark and colorful lamppost wash. Sound design, by Thomas Blanford, was so subtle, well-integrated, and appropriate to each piece that I questioned whether sounds existed in the world of the play or on the street outside. And costumes, by Amanda Ostrow, were classic, understated, and timeless, with specific pieces (the kimono! The endless raincoat!) that made strong and beautiful statements. This production was undoubtedly the most aesthetically pleasing production I've seen Brown Box do.

Supplementing the aesthetics were strong performances by the ensemble of six performers. Two of the six doubled, while the other four stuck to a single short play each, which I found to be a bit odd. I think an argument could made for only utilizing four actors and giving everyone a bit more to do, but with such a talented ensemble, I understand how that casting choice might have been too difficult.

The first piece, Beckett's Play, which features a recently deceased love triangle forever destined to sit in an urn and chant their story in monotone, was incredibly strange, but incredibly well directed (by Artistic Director Kyler Taustin). Cameron Gosselin, Meredith Stypinski, and Lizzie Milanovich, decked out in afterlife make-up, were on point, never deviating from the play's wacky structure, but allowing subtleties to help the audience understand the plot. This is not my kind of play, but it was well done. This was followed by Pinter's The New World Order, an interesting mix of British morals (discussions of linguistics and class distinction) and a foul plot to torture a captive man. David Berger-Jones and Johnny Quinones were perfectly charming as the captors, but I felt this was the least developed piece.

Third was Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen by Tennessee Williams, a slow and intimate character study, featuring Milanovich, who seemed sad with an undertone of strength, and Quinones, who was strong with an undertone of sadness. It was natural and beautiful, but I would have liked to know a bit more about the characters' relationship with one another. Ending the evening was the longest play, Personal Belongings by Diana Raznovich. Directed by Anna Trachtman and featuring Janelle Mills, the piece was an abstract diatribe about a woman trying to find her lost luggage and lost sense of self. It was a marathon (both for Mills and for the ever patient stage management team) and, albeit a bit long winded, stakes were high and I was engaged the entire time. It was a crazy evening of theatre.

I left the evening feeling theatrically satisfied, but a bit confused as to the lack of general arch. I would be very curious to sit down with the team and hear why each piece was included, particularly the Raznovich, which seemed to occupy a completely different plane than the other three. I found myself searching for and inventing various throughways, making up my own outrageous theories (perhaps each play was meant to be a different representation of purgatory?), but not ending on anything concrete. I think attempts were made at a through line, particularly in the aesthetic elements, but it wasn't too obvious as to why the night was done. That all being said, I'm not necessarily sure I care, because it was such an entertaining and transformative evening. I'd do it again.

Directed by Kyler Taustin, Darren Evans, and Anna Trachtman; Stage Managed by Molly Burman; Set Design by Mac Young; Light Design by Ian King; Sound Design by Thomas Blanford; Costume Design by Amanda Ostrow; Master Carpentry by Jared Coffin.

Featuring: David Berger-Jones, Cameron Gosselin, Lizzie Milanovich, Janelle Mills, Johnny Quinones, and Meredith Stypinsky.

Boxer Shorts runs at the Atlantic Wharf through May 3. It then tours to Queen Anne's Center for the Arts on May 8th and the Ocean City Center for the Arts May 9-11. For more information, visit www.brownboxtheatre.org.

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