There is something about the Johns Hopkins University Theatre that separates it from other theater groups on campus.? Maybe it's the fact that you actually have to buy a ticket - never mind that you give it up one step later.? Maybe it's the authentic feel of the folding seats and the nicely done sets that result from having a bona fide budget.? Or perhaps it's because every third person you encounter seems to share the name Astin.
Whatever the reason, JHUT's performances are with few exceptions some of the best offered on campus.? This fall's The Big Knife is no exception. While not perfect, the play is compelling, witty and emotionally involving.
Senior Kyle Dugan plays Charlie Castle, a very successful actor in the midst of a contract negotiation in the late 1940s. His entourage includes the maid Rousselle (sophomore Kelly McNamara), codeine-popping wife Marion (senior Christen Cromwell) and PR agent Buddy Bliss (sophomore Mike Alfieri).?
The action takes place in Castle's "playroom," and kudos must be given to the set designers for an impressively realistic set with all the accoutrements of an actual living room.
A brief word about the costuming. While a few pieces were excellent, fitting for the actor and the character (as will be discussed later), it was disappointing to see a few inconsistencies. In the first scene, Castle wears pants that bunch around the ankles - an inch or two too long. An image-conscious, millionaire movie star would almost certainly have all his clothes custom-tailored. While we do not expect custom tailoring from JHUT, a hem job would have helped.
When the play opens, Castle and his agent Buddy are arguing over his public image.? Newspaper columnist Patty Benedict (sophomore Katie Barros) arrives, and the half-drunk Castle is a little too loose with his tongue.
Alfieri does an excellent job playing the hero-worshipping PR guy, fully aware of his client's shortcomings but obviously intimidated by his status. Juxtaposed excellently is Barros's character, the columnist, who is overbearing in her attempts to dig up a story about Castle.? Caught in the middle is Castle, who sets the other two against each other nicely.
The play's dialogue is full of wit, quips and complicated turns of phrase that sound somewhat unnatural to the 21st-century audience.? At first it seems like the actors were having some trouble bringing the outdated language to life, but eventually, with the addition of more of the talented cast, the company was able to smooth out the dialogue.
As negotiations continue, we meet more of the brokers of Castle's deal. Marcus Hoff and Smiley Coy, played by sophomore Harry Laverty and junior Gerrad Taylor, respectively, bust into the scene as studio reps. Laverty's portrayal of the egomaniacal, smarmy Hoff is perfect, the insincerity dripping off his every move. Coy seems little more than a bit part at first - a lackey of Hoff - but we soon learn of his true sinister nature as a ruthless businessman who will do whatever it takes. Taylor's performance is surprising in its accuracy - he wears a tuxedo like Coy would -- not just to look good, but also to present a necessary image for his business. Every bit of Coy's life seems to be a product of some cold calculation - and Taylor captured that exactly.
The play culminates in a tragedy as bloody as any. It is during the final scenes when the depth of Cromwell's character, Mrs. Castle , comes through. The couple battles on many fronts, and the two actors finally get a chance to prove their mettle, which they do. Cromwell in particular was able to convey the roller-coaster of emotions of the troubled wife.
Dugan, on stage nearly the entire play, pulls the show along through the end. Although we might not have liked to see him in translucent white '40s-style tennis shorts, Dugan did an admirable job in the leading role. Castle is a playboy who loves his wife, a success-driven man who wants just to be left alone. He is pressured by his friends, makes bad decisions and struggles to take them back. By the end, thanks to Dugan, we know him.
The Big Knife takes a few unexpected turns and ended up being even better than expected. Not a flawless production, but certainly worth the trip. We expect nothing less from JHUT.
