BWW Reviews: THE WOLFE TWINS fascinate at Studio Theatre

As it turns out, two parts family dysfunction (Lewis and Dana), added to one part interesting stranger (Raina), mixed vigorously in the small, brightly stark living room/lobby of an Italian Bed & Breakfast, by a genially detached innkeeper (Alex), will give you a satisfying bite of drama.

The Wolfe Twins, by award-winning playwright Rachel Bonds, is a world premiere production as part of Studio Theatre's Studio Lab series, which nurtures new works in a setting of, as Studio describes it, "experimentation, collaboration and discovery." The productions are described as "scaled back," generally meaning less elaborate sets, costumes, and such. However, with a play like The Wolfe Twins, this minimalist approach strengthened the focus on the characters and the actors portraying them, with largely successful results.

There are simmering tensions evident from the moment we first meet the highly organized and in control Dana (Birgit Huppuch), as she arrives at the B&B after a delayed flight in a flurry of words, with her somewhat deceptively more free-wheeling brother Lewis (Tom Story) following close behind. As the story progresses, each interaction among the characters adds heat, until the hurt and misunderstandings boil over.

The stand out character (and performance) has the fewest words to say, but a pivotal role. Alex, played by the wonderfully nuanced Silas Gordon Brigham (left), is the resigned but ever-cheerful proprietor, who grounds his guests (and the audience) with endless coffees (I found myself wanting coffee myself early on in the play), patience and a sympathetic ear. He cleans up the messes made by his guests; sometimes the emotional ones too. I attended the show with a friend who spent several years living in Europe, and she deemed Brigham's performance "remarkable," in evoking just the right feel. Alex is someone I wanted to know much more about, and the play teases us with glimpses of his inner struggle.

The creative team of Dane Laffrey (set and costumes), Scott Zielinski (lighting) and Daniel Kluger (sound), were extremely effective in the use of a single-set staging, transition music and interesting lighting, at highlighting the anticipation and uncertainty of the chain of events. Director Mike Donahue must be commended at taking an emotional powder keg of a story, taking place in the wonderland that is Rome, and somehow bringing it all together on one small set. I particularly appreciated the way that scenes would continue out of sight of the audience at brief times, bringing our focus back to the tone of voice of the character for our cues.

This is, at its heart, a tale of the human heart, both familial and romantic, and I found myself generally quite fascinated by the experience of reading facial expressions, body language and other non-verbal moments as evidence of the often unspoken communication that we engage in with one another. These moments gave the play a voyeuristic feel, that I enjoyed...as if we'd walked by an open window and were able to stand unnoticed for a few days watching the inhabitants.

Sibling love and conflict has so many layers that Bonds has mined for gold. Expectations rooted in childhood, frightening vulnerabilities, and the importance of roots (even if unattended for years), make for interesting conversation in the almost jarringly bright red and white B&B lounge area. The play's Dramaturg, Lauren Halvorsen, in her notes, talks about the "mechanics of intimacy," being explored, and that is an apt description of both the story, and of how I, as an audience member, experienced being privy to the deeply intimate details of these characters' relationships.

Lewis and Dana have lost the close relationship they had as children, and their father's death precipitates an attempt by Lewis to reclaim the Dana he remembers. He suggests a trip to Europe together, just the two of them, but it becomes clear that each has differing expectations and dreams for the journey. As it turns out, Lewis is drawn to the other guest at the inn, Raina, an artist from New York, who has her own equally complicated issues, and their blossoming friendship serves to both derail, and then redirect the siblings' relationship over the course of the three days (and copious amounts of coffee and wine).

Story and Huppuch as Lewis and Dana (above with Jolly Abraham), have a very believable chemistry, and I found their emotional sparring largely entertaining. Abraham's Raina was a bit less effective with respect to timing and a slight lack of the nuance that is so evident in the other three performances. That said, she's appealing in the role, and it is clear why Lewis is drawn to Raina, while Dana remains wary, despite the other two's nominal attempts to include her.

The storytelling would be helped significantly by a thorough pruning. The good news is that the play does a good job of letting us in on what we need to know, and too much repetition of message obscures the emotion. Some of the seemingly disconnected dialogue, particularly in the pivotal confrontation scene amongst Lewis, Dana and Raina, might be better focused so that it doesn't jar the audience and lose the impact. I also found myself wanting more of Alex's story; his reveal felt rushed and a bit flat. Such an otherwise well-drawn character deserves more.

Despite being too long, The Wolfe Twins is provocative and entertaining, and shows a great deal of promise. It led to a lively post-show discussion on my part, which I always think is the hallmark of a substantive production. This play is highly polished for a still-early stage of development, and Rachel Bonds is clearly an impressive talent.

The play runs in Studio's Milton Theatre space through November 2.

Find out more and purchase tickets here: http://www.studiotheatre.org/plays/play-detail/wolfe-twins

[photos by Igor Dmitry]

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