BWW Reviews: Curious Theatre's ON AN AVERAGE DAY - A Compelling Watch

ON AN AVERAGE DAY by playwright John Kolvenbach is a bizarre story, but made for several funny (loved the fridge bit) and profoundly affecting (mania and depression) moments. At times I wondered if I was in a dirty kitchen or an insane asylum. When they warn of gunshots before entering the theater, you know you are in for an interesting time! On the surface, the story appears to be about two brothers, Jack and Bobby, drinking beers and catching up on life after years apart. The actual story, however, runs deeper, bringing to the fore issues of parental abandonment, self-isolation, guilt and blame.

Ultimately, this is a "dissection" play, meaning one must peel back the layers of fleshy deflection to get to the marrow of the main plot. What makes ON AN AVERAGE DAY so compelling to watch is that both brothers have an uncanny knack for reworking their own narratives, which makes it difficult for them to face their individual and joint realities. Bobby would rather descend into obsessive-compulsive hoarding behaviors than face the reality that he inexplicably hurt someone and may have to go to jail, while Jack physically and emotionally retreats rather than face the fact that he may be becoming his absent, neglectful father. While Jack is tasked with dismantling the fantasy world that Bobby has built up around himself - literally and figuratively - based on lies that Jack has perpetuated about their father, Bobby in turn must reassure Jack that he is a good father and family man because he had been a good father figure to Bobby since their father abandoned them. No matter how rough things get (and it gets rough!), these two wounded men can always find each other again and instill comfort.

Michael Kings Baker (Bobby) and Brian Shea (Jack), as the only two actors on stage throughout the play, do a solid job of not only showing off their craft and immersing themselves in their respective character's emotional life, but also of supporting each other within a dynamic that befits the theme of the story - they are violent and loving toward each other, just as brothers usually are. For an unexpected change of scenery, the show takes place in a filthy kitchen overrun with trash. Scenic designer Tina Anderson's set evokes appropriate mood and a tone. While it looks like a functional kitchen equipped with a fridge, stove and sink, the other simple touches - the single stark light bulb and the water stain on the fragmented ceiling - offer symbolic support to the stark loneliness and emotional blemishes these child-men have had to endure; the external environment represents a trashed internal life. The experience was so visceral and multisensory (sounds, smells) that sitting there in the audience I swear I could feel bedbugs crawling on my skin. I kept waiting for a slumlord to show up and the smell of spoiled milk to waft out of the fridge every time it was opened for a beer. Director A. Lee Massaro is to be commended for what seems a more hands-off directing approach; she knows these characters are in capable hands with Kingsbaker and Shea, and has allowed these actors to take the reins and run.

If you're in the mood to see a show about the fierce tenacity of brotherhood - and all the trauma and humor that comes with it - check out Curious Theatre Company's ON AN AVERAGE DAY playing now through July 23rd. For tickets or information, call the box office at 303-623-0524 or visit them online at www.curioustheatre.org.

Photo Credit:  Michael Ensminger

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