Review: THE CLEOPATRA CLUB at Black Box PAC

On the heels of its lustrously poignant, drama-packed performance of Eric Bogosian's stellar masterpiece "1+1," the immensely talented actors at the Black Box Performing Arts Center, under the artistic direction of Matt Okin, transport spectators to Paul Schrader's "The Cleopatra Club" on its intimate stage.

The performances have been an integral part of the theater's Save Our Stages initiative in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Schrader is best-known as the writer behind iconic and oft-copied "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull," the screenplays of which were adopted into Oscar-nominated and winning motion pictures by Martin Scorsese. The Cleopatra Club was based loosely off real-life details of Schrader's own visit to Egypt circa the late 1990s when he was invited to be a member of the jury at the Cairo Film Festival.

Equal parts swinging and riveting, the two-act play opens with a debonair pianist tickling the ivories as protagonist Michael Gardiner--playing the role of gay film critic Mark Sapertein--saunters into an empty bar in a luxury hotel in Egypt's Capital City. There aren't any parallels to Travis Bickle, but Gardiner's portrayal of Mark Saperstein bears semblance to another fellow crazy we hate to love, the late-great poet, Charles Bukowski. With his white hair slicked back and a goofball smile, he is joined by his longtime filmmaker friend Thomas Bing (Mike Marcou) who is flanked by his sultry translator, Ismet (Isabel Bertelsen).

The 60-ish asshole buddies drink Johnny Walker and engage in witty banter (bro humor in modern times) looking back at their career missteps in between admiring the view of The Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the world's seven wonders.

"No matter how many times you've seen them, every time is like the first time. Like the first time a girl takes her clothes off," says Mark.

"Or a boy" deadpans Thomas.

Peering deeper, Mark uses the Pyramids as a metaphor to examine his own complicated life from both sides of the coin. "The Pyramids are extraordinary," says Thomas.

"It's better during the day," says Mark. "You can stand right on the edge of the delta. You take one step and it's nothingness. Desert. It's frightening."

This is evident in Thomas' eagerness to author Mark's life story, in which he dismisses as one forgotten about.

"No one remembers; no one cares," Thomas says, adding his wish not to "wallow in reminiscence" his so-called "credo."

"I spent my entire life seeking the approval of people I don't respect," he says.

As glasses of hard liquor he downs become countless, Thomas, once gregarious and affable, morphs into a cynical, angry drunk delivering a booze-fueled tirade about selling out and even insults Mark, someone he indirectly remarks a loser for taking the so-called "road less traveled" over becoming a major critic. While there aren't any punches thrown, Thomas' volatile nature is reminiscent of the nostril-smoking Robert De Niro's character Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull in the scene when he suspects his wife had an affair. There isn't any physical violence, but there is plenty of name-calling.

While there's a moment of relief, it's fleeting.

The narrative of two men examining their lives in a foreign country takes an abrupt shift when Thomas becomes oblivious to having been robbed reports it to hotel security.

The ping-pong banter between old friends suddenly feels like a sexy mystery drama. With cigarettes fizzling, Colonel Ziadeh (Luke Shibbo) enters the picture- mercilessly interrogating the blood-shot exhausted Thomas who is scheduled for a press conference the following day. As he questions him about his whereabouts with the intimidating Hussein Al-Ban (Arthur Gregory Pugh) at his side, the interrogation becomes an in-depth quest into "movie people's" portrayal of the Arabic people in respect to their race, creed and faith. The white-light piercing the dark stage under which Thomas sits provides an opportunity to not only ascertain information to decipher the thief, but a cathartic release that has Thomas challenging his own judgment about fame and fortune.

Schrader's "The Cleopatra Club" is an extraordinary adventure packed with plot twists that plumb the depths of consciousness that the actors at the Black Box PAC enliven with flair, authority and gusto.

The Cleopatra Club will be performed through April 10 at the Black Box PAC in Englewood. Go here for tickets.

Photos courtesy of Black Box PAC.

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