BWW Reviews: THE SHOPLIFTERS Offers Laughs, Chance to Ponder at Arena Stage

Ah, world premieres! Those two words are like magic to my ears. You never know what you are going to get - there could be a morsel of brilliance that could lead to something great in a future production, an epic disaster, or something that's pretty darn great already in more ways than one. In the case of Arena Stage's 65th season opener, Morris Panych's The Shoplifters, we have a production that falls into the third category. And that's a good thing.

At first glance, the premise might seem slight for a play and perhaps even a bit silly. We are in a non-descript back storage room of a local grocery store. Boxes are stacked from floor to ceiling on Ken MacDonald's set. Dom (Adi Stein), a trainee security guard in an ill-fitting uniform (also designed by Ken MacDonald), is clumsily interrogating an older woman he believes has shoplifted. It quickly becomes clear that he might be out of his league in the proceedings. Alma (Tony Award nominee Jayne Houdyshell) - a surefooted, supremely confident, and well-practiced woman - is not about to go down quickly or easily. Dom sees things in 'black and white' in part because of his newly found religious faith, but also because his actions on the job are clouded by his eagerness to succeed. Alma? She couldn't be more different in her perspective. Nothing about this case is as simple as Dom wants it to be. Alma's not the only suspect. There's also Phyllis (Jenna Sokolowski) who is the antithesis of Alma. She's freaked out, nervous, and not at all confident. She was caught in the act when a package of expensive steaks fell from between her legs to the floor.

Does it really matter what Alma and Phyllis - and for that matter Dom as the quick acting security guard - did in the store that day? In Panych's play (which he also directs here), that's not the point. Just like Dom's trainer, fellow security guard Otto (Delaney Williams), Mr. Panych feels there's a need to figure out the deeper context for the incident. Why did it happen and how did they all get to that point? Is it ever ok to engage in acts that society would deem deviant and is there ever a good reason for anyone in a position of power to turn a blind eye to those acts? Panych gives us a clever, fast-paced comedic story as he unravels this question as it pertains to the situation in the store that day. Yet, if one looks beyond the surface of his tight script, there's some surprisingly nuanced, macro level commentary about accepted social norms, the challenges of understanding why we act the way we do - and whether that's tied to our various roles/places within society - and the degree to which notions of what's right and what's wrong should be regarded as rigid constructs.

It's a funny yet substantive story of very average people trying to grapple with the hard stuff we do at a societal level. Don't expect an overt politicized look at the income gap in this country - the staggering distance between the 'have and have nots' - like we've seen so many times before. That element is there by virtue of the fact that our suspects live in a housing project and are accused of stealing high-priced meat they couldn't otherwise afford, but it's thankfully not the prime focus. It does not overshadow the more interesting questions the playwright asks or the telling of the story at hand.

Panych's layered script is brought to life quite well by a nearly uniformly excellent cast.

As the loose cannons, Stein and Sokolowski are both heartbreakingly human and masters of comedy. Stein - complete with a whiny voice - is particularly believable as an earnest yet awkward young man who has a lot to learn, but doesn't quite realize it. Whether stabbing himself in the eye with a pen and dealing with the aftermath or telling Phyllis how to find Jesus, he brings his comedic 'A' game. Yet, he never lets those laugh-worthy moments come off as him specifically searching for a laugh reaction for the audience. He expertly uses them to tell us more about Dom. Likewise, Sokolowski's physical performance embodies Phyllis' fragile emotional state. It's realistic, yet still delightfully over the top much like the script.

The rangy Houdyshell proves she's keenly aware of what makes Alma tick and has a dry wit that's perfectly suited for her wise character. Alma is closed off from the world and rarely lets people in to see beneath the surface. The few moments she does (which won't be spoiled here), allow for a huge payoff. Houdyshell takes full advantage of these brief moments in a way only an accomplished actress like herself could do. Delaney is at his best when playing off of Ms. Houdyshell. Although he went up on his lines and appeared to be struggled more than I'd like to see with such a seasoned actor on opening night, he does give a largely solid performance that's probably going to grow even better. Like Houdyshell, is accomplished at taking full advantage of the moments that allow the audience to see beyond his gruff exterior.

All in all, this one is a win for Arena. I look forward to the rest of the season!

Running Time: 90 minutes including an intermission.

The Shoplifters plays through October 19, 2014 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, located at 1101 6 Street, SW in Washington, DC. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 202-488-3300.

Photo Caption/Credit: (L to R) Delaney Williams as Otto, Adi Stein as Dom, Jayne Houdyshell as Alma and Jenna Sokolowski as Phyllis. Photo by Teresa Wood.

To post a comment, you must register and login.