Pat Kinevane (Photo by Maurice Gunning)
Reviewed by Steven Vargas
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Through May 5
RECOMMENDED
The theater smelt of lavender cleaning supplies, so much so that one would question how close the seats were to the restroom. But once Pat Kinevane stepped on stage to tango, all was forgotten. The lavender smell returned as he poured hot water into a bucket on the floor. He brought it up to the audience, encouraging people to take a good whiff before inviting them into his family woes. From that point forward, it was clear that Kinevane was prepared to bring everyone on an immersive and intimate journey.
King, presented by Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Fishamble: The New Play Company, is a solo show written and performed by Kinevane that tells the story of Luther, an Irishman from Corks who is plagued by his past and the implications they have on his present. Luther, named after Martin Luther King Jr., tells stories of the people in his life so as to indirectly share bits of himself that are difficult to admit — all while he prepares for a big performance as an Elvis Impersonator. In collaboration with director Jim Culleton, Kinevane shares a haunting performance that balances comedic tales with a heartwrenching reality.
Kinevane is incredibly intentional as a performer. His vocal variety and dedication to making each line feel delectable sucks the viewer in. He even gets up close and personal, breaking the fourth wall to make Lisa (one of the front-row audience members) part of the narrative as an outside perspective he could confide in. He easily flows from a somber story about his financial struggles — explaining that he uses money from his welfare check and odd jobs to fund his father’s care in a nursing home — to more jovial ones about a lying neighbor.
He often utilizes props as another character to bounce energy off of. This, surprisingly, comes through even when things don’t go according to plan. That lavender cleaning supplies was meant for a mop, but during his tango-filled opening dance, Kinevane broke the end of the mop stick while tapping its ends against the ground. He picked up the broken piece and attempted to fix it, all while telling the story of King. And when it didn’t work, he kept going, pulling the mop head out of the bucket to clean the floor. Meanwhile, the pace stayed the same, his attention to the audience remained, and he found opportunities to highlight the mop, further enforcing the idea that we were with him in his home.
The set is sparse and primarily made up of several seemingly insignificant items — including a hanging Pancho, a file folder, and an iron. But throughout the show, each bit is activated and helps craft a strong narrative throughline, so that by the end every inch of the stage feels magnetic. For instance, the Pancho begins as a tango partner and is later taken off its hook and draped over the arm to impersonate one of the people at his dad’s facilities. In a grand finale, the colors and style of the Pancho mesh into his Elvis costume. Its purpose shines. By the end, King lands on a devastating portrait of a man surrounded by his past, struggling to find a way out of his own mind because every item around him holds memories of what once was.
The story itself is woven together with anecdotes of his Granny Bee Baw, his mental health struggles, and the bittersweet memories of his parents. Although Martin Luther King Jr. is a major influence in the title of the show, the civil rights movement leader isn’t pivotal to the plot. Aside from Granny Bee Baw’s obsession with social movements, the core of the show rests in King’s loneliness and desire to love.
Luther is haunted by his mother’s lesson that loss comes with the desire to tango. His movement, choreographed by Kristina Chaloir and Juian Brigatti, is passionate and sharp, coming in as transitions and markers of large shifts in his character. When the theme of loss becomes clearer, Luther’s love for tango has a more poignant weight. Towards the end, his dance breaks become more frequent and uncontrollable.
King is about the journey to recovery from loss and heartbreak. Luther has so much love to give. He pours it all out for his dying father, hoping all of his efforts will keep him alive. But he can’t escape the inevitable. What can he do when his father takes his last breath? Start from square one. This show doesn’t offer a happy ending but instead serves up a cathartic sense of hope that (while a tough pill to swallow), loss is required to move forward.
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, 2055 S Sepulveda Blvd, Sawtelle. Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sun. at 2 p.m.; thru May 5. odysseytheatre.com/whats-on/king/. Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission.
