BWW Reviews: Craig Lucas' RECKLESS from Actors Bridge

Reckless - Craig Lucas' skewed vision of suburban life in contemporary America - is brought to life in an engaging and entertaining new production from Actors Bridge Ensemble. Directed with finesse by Jessika Malone and performed by a cast of talented actors who are supremely confident in interpreting Lucas' off-kilter comedy, it's a well-crafted show that fairly crackles with humor.

Brooke Bryant leads Malone's capable cast, playing the central and pivotal role of Rachel with a blend of comic ease and physical grace. Rachel is on the lam throughout the play, thanks to her husband Tom's (portrayed by the talenTed Ross Bolen) decision to hire a hitman to take care of her on Christmas Eve.

Rachel's ensuing adventure, which takes her from Springfield to Springfield (there's one in every state, after all), is buoyed by Lucas' trademark, off-balance and daft sense of humor. The playwright's slightly zany vision helps to create a world in which it is always the Christmas season and where nothing really makes sense, but yet somehow manages to be clearly understood.

As Rachel's adventures become more and more nonsensical and the coincidences continue to mount, she (and her audience, to be sure) learn more and more about the vagaries of life and what it takes to surmount the obstacles in her path. Along the way she is aided and abetted by some memorable characters, each of whom have their own secrets to protect, including Lloyd and Pooty (wonderfully played by David McGinnis and Andrea Ridge, both of whom give gutsy and memorable performances), a married couple who take in Rachel on a cold winter's night and invite her to stay with them forever.

When Rachel, Pooty and Lloyd appear on a game show (hosted by the winningly versatile Dave Shetler) and take home $100,000, more hilarity ensues and all hell breaks loose, leading to more trouble and despair. And while that could spell doom and gloom in the hands of a lesser writer, Lucas' vision guarantees only more laughs and a few of the aha! moments for which he is known. The twists and turns of Lucas' plot are easy to comprehend and, not surprisingly, his rather sentimental ending for the offbeat comedy (featuring a moving and on-target performance by EVan Williams) really packs a punch in the most unexpected way.

Malone's direction is focused and creative, as she leads her capable cast through the paces of Lucas' script. Performed against the backdrop of Liz Mosiman's beautifully designed set, augmented by Patrick White's exceptional lighting design and Kristin McCalley's spot-on costume design, Reckless is yet another example of the high level of professionalism that now comes to be expected from Actors Bridge.

Reckless runs for only a few more performances, so you might want to amend your weekend plans to include this fun summer diversion. Its wintry ambience is a welcome respite from the heat of the Nashville summer.

- Reckless. By Craig Lucas. Directed by Jessika Malone. Produced by Vali Forrister and Jessika Malone. Presented by Actors Bridge Ensemble at Belmont University's Black Box Theatre. Through Sunday, August 1. For further information, visit the company website at www.actorsbridge.org.

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