BWW Reviews: Come to LUKA'S ROOM for a Totally Satisfying Experience!
By: Gil Kaan Aug. 03, 2015
Luka's Room/by Rob Mersola/directed by Joshua Bitton/Rogue Machine (in Theatre/Theater)/thru September 20, 2015
Rob Mersola has written a wonderfully witty, realistic, totally shocking 'family drama' in the world premiere of his Luka's Room. Two major surprises in plot you will not see coming. But after theses 'surprises,' (No spoilers in this review) you realize Mersola has previously set up the plot points to make total sense. A brilliant script delivered beautifully by a exceptional cast, excitingly directed by Joshua Bitton at an intense, high-energy fast clip.
Nineteen-year-old Luka has come to live with his Grandma Franca after his father AJ had to drastically downsize his financials. Unbeknownst to Luka and AJ, AJ's brother, former jailbird Nick has also moved in with Grandma Franca.
Nick Marini thoroughly inhabits his role of the exuberant, naive Luka. Alex Fernandez alternately charms and slimes as the conning, conniving Uncle Nick. The rapport and camaraderie between Marini and Fernandez' most convincingly real. Their fight scene (designed by Ned Mochel) - entirely realistic. No half-way punches in the air here!
As the often cussing, Jeopardy-watching Grandma Franca who's exhibiting signs of "old timers," Joanna Lipari's both ball-busting and heartbreaking. Brava to Mz. Lipari for her very unexpected revealing scene and her very credible display of Alzheimer's. Lipari tugs your heartstrings when her Grandma Franca mistakes her grandson for her departed husband Aldo.
As more inconsistencies in Uncle Nick's reformed legitimacy disclose themselves, he and Luka bond tighter against the more supposedly straight-line walking and talking AJ (an authoritative and stern Vince Melocchi). "Don't tell my Dad!" The scene where Marini's Luka and Fernandez' Nick share a bong's simply just too funny!
While Nick's out of the house; Angie, one of his regulars drops by to purchase some pot. Sarah Scott gives a delicious wide-eyed performance as Angie, at times innocent and flirty, at other, seductive and sexy. Her seduction of the more than willing, but less than experienced Luka raises the general temperature of the theatre. Scott's drunken striptease, purposely pathetic, results to Marini's Luka's genuine and sweet stab at 'lovemaking.'
Tensions, suspense and actions move at a fast, steady pace until the big reveal/surprise/betrayal near the end. As disappointing as AJ's reaction to the betrayal (really wanted him to use the baseball bat in his hands), nothing after that moment provides any new information or resolution to the given situation. Luka's Room should have ended there. Energies, enthusiasm and pacing of the characters sagged as they should, but unfortunately so did the show's.
As always, scenic designer John Iacovelli provides the appropriate detailed set for Grandma Franca's living room and AJ's old bedroom. Kudos to the effective, integral use of Nicholas Santiago's explicit video projection design.
Luka's Room's a great follow-up to A Permanent Image in Rogue Machine's current season. A must-see!
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