Review: First Run Theater's Engaging TRICK AND ANOTONIA

I did some creative work for First Run Theater during their early years, underscoring some shows, and even directing a couple of one acts. I admired the fact that they provided a testing ground, a full staging, of works by local playwrights. That's an opportunity that goes far beyond a staged reading, and actually brings an author's vision to life with an immediacy that's filtered through the talent that presents it. I went back to a theater I hadn't stepped a foot in in years, and saw what I think is one their finest productions, TRICK AND ANOTONIA, written by Jenn Ciavarella. Although it could still use a bit of tightening, its a compelling tale, the actors all do solid work, and Landon Shaw's direction and scenic design is very thoughtfully conceived and executed.

What if the person you loved and married was not the person you thought they were? That's a question raised in this story that follows the parallel paths of two individuals who were burned by KGB operatives. The main focus is on CIA agent Patrick, whose former wife is awaiting shipment back to the Soviet Union in exchange for the secondary part of our plot, the FBI's Lucinda Sameuls' son. In his case, he'd thought the woman he loved had died in a car crash. But, disgraced when the truth is revealed, we're now witness to the outcome of a faulty background check; a broken and thoroughly damaged man, no longer an asset to his line of work, and estranged from the daughter they produced during their union. For Lucinda, it's a matter of retrieving her son from Russia after, she too, had been married to a KGB spy. Through a series of flashbacks we're witness to how Trick/Patrick and Rachel/Anotonia meet, but we also go backward and forward in time to different highlights and lowlights they shared. The catch to all this is that Anotonia will only speak with Patrick, and they only have 40 hours before the exchange can occur. The question then becomes, whether Patrick or Anotonia can manage to achieve some kind of redemption from this final meeting?

Robert Stevenson does fairly understated work for the most part as Patrick, but that's because we're seeing the bitter fallout from a past that has come back to haunt him. Annalise Webb delivers a consistent and strong performance as Anotonia, an uncooperative wise ass to everyone she encounters, at least until Patrick shows up. Chuck Winning brings some welcome energy to the role of Grady, Patrick's friend, who does his best to help Patrick right himself. Cammie Middleton comes across effectively pushy as Lucinda Sameuls, until her own story comes out, and she's able to loosen up a bit. Brad Slavik is sharp as Anotonia's handler, Gregor, and Melanie Kozak does a nice job as Patrick's daughter, Jackie. Jeremy Schnelt brings a youthful vitality to his part as Trick, and Carly Udling is very convincing as Rachel.

Landon Shaw's imaginative and creative direction livens up what could be some rather static scenes of people standing around talking, with an eye-catching scenic design, and the use of some clever projected images. The actors seemed genuinely invested in their roles, and I was engaged by the story, and I was moved during the final scene. Seth Stevenson's underscoring is at the right level to be heard just beneath the dialog, and conveys the appropriate atmosphere. Nathan Schroeder's lighting design is generally very well done, with only a few scenes being a bit under lit. L'oreal Stevenson does a good job delineating the characters through her costuming.

It was a small turnout for the production the night I attended, but it was show that really deserved more of an audience. First Run Theater's TRICK AND ANTONIA played through July 15, 2016.

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