By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic (“Steppin’ Out“)
Sam Shepard’s powerful play about the toxic relationship between two brothers – True West – is back at the Jefferson Performing Arts’ Westwego Theater for the Performing Arts.
The two-act dark comedy celebrates its 45-year anniversary this year, first introduced off-Broadway in 1980 and, two decades later, bowed with its Broadway debut at Circle in the Square 25 years ago.
True West is among Shepard’s best known works and it is marked by bleak and tortured characters who get through rather than live life.
At first we are introduced to Austin (Topher Johnson), a struggling Hollywood scriptwriter, who is staying at his mother’s home while she is away on a trip to Alaska and he is working away from his family. He has a studio producer, Saul (Joshua Tierney), on the hook for a story that he’s promised, but it is obvious that he is suffering from writer’s block as he is struggling to put down on paper anything more than just a few typewritten words.
Enter ne’er-do-well brother Les (Philip Yiannopoulos), a petty thief and largely abusive character, who moves in and begins to ingratiate himself upon his brother’s life. The two constitute a contrast to the other. Where Austin is successful with a wife and kids and a fully contributing member to society, Lee is an outsider and an opportunist, choosing to live alone in the desert and finding whatever scraps he happens to find.
There is both an undercurrent of brotherly love and acceptance as well as an underlying antipathy and intolerance that the two share.
In just a matter of a few days, Les moves away from casing potential victims’ homes and purloining television sets. He sets his sights on assuming the role his brother holds as a screenwriter. After meeting Saul, Les arranges for the two of them to play a round of golf the next day while Austin remains homebound. Les convinces Saul that he has an even better story than the one his brother had promised and to Austin’s horror, Saul greenlights that project and scraps the original script.
There’s only one problem: Les lacks the skills to write the story and is wholly dependent on Austin to produce and deliver a payday. The relationship turns into an out-of-control yin and yang death spiral, with disastrous consequences.
While it may seem there might not be much grounds for laughter in this dark study, Shepard surprises his audience with several scenes that border on the absurd. Director Bennett Kirschner helps to fashion and deliver wonderful performances by his actors. Johnson and Yiannopoulos carry out their roles with frightening results in this dark comedy.
In what may be an unusual bit of nepotism, Kirschner cast his own mother, Deb Margolin, in the small role of Austin and Les’ mother. While in most cases exercising such liberties might be considered beyond the pale, Margolin is an exception to the rule. Following a groundbreaking career in feminist theatre in New York, she is a published playwright and has taught theatre at Tulane and other colleges.
It’s important to remember this is a not a play about mom or even their unseen abusive and deserted father. This work is all about the brothers and examines the terrifying dynamic of sibling rivalry gone beserk. While Austin represents the conventional and rational aspect of modern life, Les personifies the uncoventional and destructive side.
As absurd as their actions may seem, the effect they have on each other is rooted in truth. Shepard does blend fact with fantasy in order to drive home his point.
What Shepard clearly is saying is that there is no true good or bad, that we all have tendencies towards the irrational that we keep in check. The affect the two brothers have on each other is to bring out the worst of these tendencies. It is a wild ride we are witness to as their relationship devolves into a chilling conclusion with many unanswered questions. But with Sam Shepard plays, we shouldn’t expect either a happy ending or an ending that it neatly tied up with a bow.
True West by Sam Shepard (2 hours and 15 minutes with a 15-minute intermission) wih direction by Bennett Kirschner, finishes its run at the Westwego Performing Arts Theater, 166 Sala Avenue in Westwego with shows on Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 13-15 and a matinee at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 14. For tickets call 504-885-2000 or click here.
Director: Bennett Kirschner
Stage Manager: Tricia Anderson
Costumes: Antoinette De Alteriis
Lighting and Sound: Carole “Jules” Padazzle
