REVIEW: St. Louis Actors' Studio Presents Funny and Provocative Production of LOVE SONG

The first thing I was reminded of while watching John Kolvenbach's funny and intriguing play, Love Song, was David Lynch's surreal cult film Eraserhead, if only for the obvious comparisons that pop up between their respective protagonists. Henry, in Eraserhead, is a lonely daydreamer with an overactive and dark imagination, and so, to a degree, is Beane from Love Song. But, the comparisons really end there. Love Song follows an odd, melancholy, yet decidedly cheerier path, presenting its audience with a number of strong laughs, and plenty to chew on. The St. Louis Actors' Studio's current production is a charming and provocative delight, buoyed by a talented cast and sharp direction.

Beane is a young man with some sort of non-specific mental condition who's existing with no real sense of purpose. When he's verbally assaulted by Molly, who's attempting to burgle the meager contents of his starkly humble apartment, he becomes keenly aware of his lack of a real life. But, instead of being depressed about his situation, he becomes energized by the encounter, and he and Molly become lovers. At least, that's what we're led to believe. All his sister Joan knows is that the usually reserved Beane has become positively verbose since his discovery. And, she and her husband Harry seem to have been shaken from their own marital doldrums by his sudden outbursts.

Aaron Orion Baker gives a wonderful performance as Beane, deftly making the change from introspective to outgoing as his cloistered world begins to gradually open under the auspices of a love affair. Love brings Beane to life, but it also exposes his flaws, as he's now prone toward overreaction, and his gushing over the deliciousness of a simple turkey sandwich is a comic highlight. Baker really makes you care about this misfit's outcome.

Lavonne Byers is terrific as Beane's sister Joan. She's a driven career-woman who has no patience with the stupidity she seems to encounter on a routine basis. Her concern for Beane's welfare is colored by her cynical view of the world, and it's interesting to see her personality change as she begins to accept the change in him. John Pierson is very good as her husband, Harry. Pierson is a voice of liberalized reason early on, bickering good-naturedly with Byers about the way she callously treats her interns. But, he changes as well, and Pierson has a lot of fun playing Harry with a libido reinvigorated by Beane's sudden sexual awakening.

Sarah Cannon is tough, but surprisingly tender as Molly, the woman who breaks into Beane's apartment. She ends up playing yin to Beane's yang though, confounding audience expectations by displaying a sentimental side. Thatcher Hallock offers solid support in a small role as a waiter.

Jason Cannon's direction is smartly conceived, and the cramped confines of the stage actually work to enhance the mood, literally closing in on Beane at one point. Cannon keeps the banter lively, but also finds the heart at the center of this material. Patrick Huber provides the scenery as well as the lighting design for the show, and both are inventive, with Beane's apartment space, and the amount of light within it, physically changing to suit his state of mind. Felia Davenport's costumes fit the characters, with Beane's simplistic wardrobe being particularly appropriate.

The St. Louis Actors' Studio's funny and thoughtful presentation of Love Song continues through January 24, 2009 at the Gaslight Theater.

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