BACK BACK BACK- The Final Performance

[scaryclowns223]

BACK BACK BACK- The Final Performance#1

Posted: 12/28/08 at 10:57pm

Just some quick thoughts:

I am a huge fan of Itamar Moses, though I have never seen one of his plays. I have, however, read OUTRAGE, THE FOUR OF US, and BACH AT LEIPZIG, all of which (the last two more than the first) were excellent. I entered with pretty high expectations, and was not disappointed.

First of all, the play- extremely natural, extremely current, and conversational in a way that no playwright has been able to emulate conversation in a long time. People say that Mamet writes the way we speak- I disagree, he's far too stylized. Itamar Moses, on the other hand, writes the way we speak. The play was constantly entertaining, dramatic at the right times, funny at others, and always a delight to watch. The characters were all well-developed and three dimensional, and Moses's ability to portray the nervous vague diction of baseball players who are always a little ashamed is wonderful.

The direction and design were both solid, though (to agree with the NYT reviewer) the locker room looked like a garage, and didn't really look like a major league weight room- something that was probably a consequence of the performance space (which, by the way, was perfect for this production.)

The performances were universally wonderful. Jeremy Davidson's Kent was simultaneously hesitant and determined in a way that really portrayed his desire (and need) to succeed. James Martinez's Raul was determined and cocksure, but we always got the feeling that he was insecure in a self-destructive way. Michael Mosley's Adam had a clear and defined arc, and he hit his strides in the play's later scenes, when his youthful optimism was shrouded by the lessons he'd learned in his time as a player. Mosley did something wonderful- he aged himself appropriately without histrionics or traditional/stereotypical vocal affectations. Slight changes in posture and delivery very clearly showed his age and, consequently, his attitude concerning baseball and life.

I would recommend this to the members of this board, but unfortunately it closed last night. I do hope, however, that it gets some regional productions, and if/when it does, anyone who can should see this wonderful play by one of our most promising young playwrights.