BWW Reviews: Nightmarish WOLVES Entertains at Celebration

Wolves/by Steve Yockey/directed by Michael Matthews/Celebration Theatre/through May 5

Wolves, a world premiere one-act play by Steve Yockey, is a chilling psychological study of fear and how irreparably destructive it can be. Reminding one of Sam Shepard's True West and its vision of doom, now onstage at the Celebration Theatre, Wolves is most definitely gruesome with torrents of bloody violence, so it is not for the squeamish, but Yockey structures his well-written and poetic piece with enough humor and gay sexual appeal, that it is bound to bring pleasure at least to an intelligent gay audience. As allegories go, there is a moral to be learned, but it never overshadows the play's entertainment. Wolves boasts an attractive and well-focused cast with taut direction and precise staging from Michael Matthews.

Ben (Nathan Mohebbi), a young gay man from a small town is struggling, almost psychotically, with life in the big city. His lover Jack (Matt Magnusson) has grown tired of Ben's isolation and wants to venture forth on his own for fun and adventure at a local bar. When we first meet the two, their love for one another has waned and Jack obviously desires more excitement than his present relationship can deliver. Before we proceed any further, let's go back a bit. Before the action of the play begins, we find Ben onstage playing the guitar and singing with a pretty young woman (Katherine Skelton), who, as it turns out, is the narrator. She sets the scene, introduces the characters and interrupts the dialogue many times to comment on Ben and Jack's predicaments.She amuses in the beginning, but gives us full warning that what is about to happen will hardly be a pretty picture, serving as a kind of prophet...more on that later. Getting back to the story, Jack goes out, while Ben goes to bed, sulking at not being able to keep his lover at home. When Jack returns, he has picked up a trick named Wolf (Andrew Crabtree), a seemingly quiet and unassuming fellow, who quickly starts turning on to him. Jack's morbid comments turn Wolf off at first, but then the two start a sexual interlude that is quickly interrupted by Ben, who, overhearing their conversation from the bedroom and upset by Wolf's invasion of their privacy, enters to have his way. What ensues is an attack of jealousy and treachery that leads to an intense session of psychological terror...beyond that, I will not divulge details, except to say that the narrator remains overseeing everything, like one of the fates, and guides the horrorific actions of Ben, Jack... and Wolf.

Yockey's play takes fear, a natural, normal feeling for anyone adjusting to big city life and stretches it to the max, showing what it is like for two people to be alone, together. Fear strikes out, consuming one at first , then the other, destroying any trace of humanity. The narrator symbolizes man's conscience/voice of reason pointing out the effects of what has transpired and the best ways of dealing with the consequences. But fear may very well overpower conscience with permanently perilous results.

The ensemble of Wolves is first rate. Mohebbi, Magnusson and Crabtree are all attractive and totally focused at every emotional level, which turns within seconds from calm to total chaos. For the 3 males, the play is a thoroughly physical and deeply psychological workout. Skelton is intelligent, fun, cool and in playing the voice of reason, overflows with unflinching attitude.

The short and fast-moving Wolves, which comes in at about one hour, is a smart, scary, thrilling theatrical ride akin to a nightmare. What in the beginning upsets, though, sooner or later yields enlightenment and even an odd sense of relief. The whole bleak argument of the city as wilderness and man versus beast adds lyricism, and with this, the message of True West rings prophetic. You may find yourself thinking about what is happening, but, a word to the wise, don't think too hard; better to take it at face value and enjoy!

For more about the production, visit www.celebrationtheatre.com.

Photo Credit: Matthew Brian Denman

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