Review: HotCity Theatre Premieres Quirky New Comedy INTELLIGENT LIFE

If you've ever stayed up and listened to late night radio programs like the popular "AM Coast to Coast" show, then you're fully aware that there are a lot of folks out there who believe in a lot of very peculiar things. While some of these unusual occurrences and sightings of critters and spacecrafts are probably chemically induced hallucinations, or purely bogus in nature, occasionally something happens that just can't be explained away. The former, more than the latter, forms the backbone of the plot of Lauren Dusek Albonico's Intelligent Life, a new play which HotCity Theatre is presenting, that explores the depth of faith that individuals place in their beliefs, and how it can allow them to be easily blinded by the truth in the process.

Robin, in X-Files parlance, "wants to believe", and runs a UFO website with her on again, off-again beau, Beau. Both claim to have had an encounter of some kind when they were younger, but it's obvious from the start that Robin is fully investing herself emotionally in these pursuits, while Beau is far more interested in getting wasted with his friend Gary, or making out with his new girl Jessie if the opportunity presents itself.

One night, under the influence of recreational enhancements (namely, peyote) Gary and Beau capture an alien. Only it turns out to be an asthmatic boy named Aethan wearing a homemade Jackosaurus costume, who just happens to have an extremely high IQ, and who also displays telekinetic powers (you'll have to suspend your disbelief here). Once sober, the fellas realize their blunder, but Robin is convinced of the boy's otherworldly origins. The fact that this discovery rekindles the sexual sparks between Beau and Robin only delays the inevitable revelation. The arrival of the police four days after the disappearance of Aethan (that, in itself, is fairly disconcerting) brings everyone back to reality with a resounding thud. The closing moment disturbs in a way that brings the audience back to reality in similar fashion.

Aarya Sara Locker dives in headfirst as Robin, firm in her convictions until they blow up in her face. Scott Schneider does solid work as slacker/stoner Beau, and Emily Fisher is quite good as his on-again, off-again girlfriend Jessie, who actually seems to be the only intelligent adult among this motley crew. Parkers Donovan is engaging as kidnap "victim" Aethan, and he gives a pretty natural and uninhibited performance. Kevin Beyer walks a fine line as Gary, able to draw laughs from his inebriated antics, while also managing to gain our sympathy since he has no home to go to due to his drunken behavior. Alan McClintock makes a vivid impression as Sheriff Torrence, particularly when he admonishes the audience before the start of the show regarding the usual theatre no-no's, such as texting, and the like.

Director Annamaria Pileggi does splendid work with this talented group, and other than a number of slow transitions between scenes (though they're aided greatly by the television and movie soundtrack choices of Matthew Koch, which plucks some classic selections from a slew of genre favorites), this is a generally well conceived presentation. Scenic designer C. Otis Sweezy's distressed dump of an office space is delightfully crafted and filled with Meg Brinkley's cleverly chosen props. Jane Sullivan's costumes are good fits for each of the characters, and deserving of special attention for the silly Halloween costume that Gary wears. Michael Sullivan's lighting nicely heightens the drama and frames the action.

St. Louis has been treated to a slew of premieres recently, and with their production of playwright Lauren Dusek Albonico's Intelligent Life, HotCity Theatre's enters into the fray with a well-mounted staging of this unpolished, but amusing new work. Intelligent Life continues at the Kranzberg Arts Center through May 14, 2011.

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