BWW Reviews: Electrically Charged KOWALSKI Bows @ Two Roads Theatre

Kowalski
by Gregg Ostrin
directed by Rick Shaw
Two Roads Theatre
through September 4

Plays about the world of theatre are forever alluring. Such is the case with the world premiere of Kowalski that presents the initial meeting between Tennessee Williams and Marlon Brando. Kowalski, of course, is Stanley's last name...Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire, that is, which offered the role of a lifetime to the actor who turned out to be... the icon of his generation. Now at the Two Roads Theatre, Kowalski is a rich and delicious theatrical dessert played to the hilt by a devilishly delightful cast.

The play begins in 1947, as a 36 year-old Williams (Curt Bonnem), straight off the success of The Glass Menagerie, gives a copy of his brand new A Streetcar Named Desire to producer/director pal Margo Jones (Alexa Hamilton) to read for the first time. He's at his beach house in Provincetown, Mass, a summer mecca for gay men, with a live-in hustler Pancho (Les Brandt). And... he's expecting a visit from an unknown actor -Marlon Brando - whom director Elia Kazan has sent up to audition for the role of Stanley. In fact, Brando (Ignacio Serricchio) is three days overdo for the tryout. When he finally arrives, Williams is out of the room. Brando comes through the screen door and makes himself right at home. When Williams returns and finds him, he is horrified, believing him to be a burglar. Such was the supposed meeting of the renowned Southern gentleman/playwright and the tough, totally unrefined actor, who mumbled rather than talked. As different as day and night, the two men insult, irritate and tease each other no end until they realize just how much they really do have in common. This whole confrontation is laced with earthy and ironic humor as Brando pretends not to care about really wanting the role and Williams protests that he is totally wrong for it, all the while seeing that he is Stanley Kowalski. Brando has traveled to Mass with a young actress Jo (Sasha Higgins), who bursts into the house wondering why he has left her to wait so long at the bus station. This couldn't be finer for Williams, who uses the situation to rev up Brando by insisting that the actress audition for Stella. He gets some results, some reactions - and even some lines - that jump right off the pages of the play.

The actors are all terrific. Bonnem wears Williams like a second skin, oozing sadistic pleasure and melodramatic pretentiousness from every pore. Serricchio, as gorgeous as Brando himself - although looking nothing like him, has the demeanor, attitude and raw sensuality down pat. It's no small pleasure watching his Brando strut brutishly about in tight black tee as he fixes the fuses, screen door and commode, kind of the way the real Brando did playing Stanley on stage and on film. Higgins is a standout as Jo, so unfettered, uncultured, unglamorously real. Hamilton makes the gutsy Jones her own shining creation and Brandt is campy and fun as Pancho in or out of his clothes. Director Shaw provides good pacing throughout and gives the actors free reign. The set design by Rand Sagers couldn't be better; I felt like I was back at the Cape, especially during power outtages.

It is always such fun to hear names tossed around like Tallulah Bankhead, Lillian Gish, Jessica Tandy and John Garfield, who make the scenario seem that much more enticing and genuine - and to hear backstage gossip/politics. What demonic fun to see Jones' stunned reaction at being passed over as director of Streetcar! Ostrin's great writing and the fabulous performances lend an eerie feeling of authenticity to Kowalski, making it a deliciously theatrical experience you cannot afford to miss.

 

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