Bearings
Reviewed by Martίn Hernández
Flight Theatre
Thru Oct. 9
RECOMMENDED
An obviously physically and mentally exhausted man wobbles into the lobby of Pasadena’s luxurious Langham Huntington Hotel, guzzling down complimentary water bottles as if parched by Death Valley. He asks to be let into his room, but the officious desk clerk has no record of him checking in and refuses his entry. Adamantly insisting that he left his key, ID, and thousands of dollars in cash in his room, a room he now finds unfamiliar, the man ultimately convinces the hotel’s manager of his story’s veracity. As a precaution from potential PR and legal implications, the manager calls in his chief of security, a former police detective, to find out just who this guy is. Thus, a bewildering journey begins into memory, guilt, and possible redemption and, like many a shrewd mystery, keeps us guessing up to its startling denouement.
Playwright/director – and emergency understudy – Matt Chait has developed a timely and noir-ish psychological adventure reminiscent of Hitchcock, with an enigmatic lead character both obsessed with finding the truth but dreading the outcome if he does. Our protagonist Richard Kalvar (Will Bradley) is running from something or someone, of what we’re not quite sure and neither is he. Richard pays cash for everything, eschewing credit cards – thus no history of his hotel stay – to avoid being tracked and when he’s asked by who, Zuckerberg and Bezos are his blithe responses. Mike Salcedo (Justin Huen) is the patient and thoughtful ex-cop who follows Richard down his mental rabbit holes as we are presented with flashbacks ranging from the absurdist to the emotional and spanning from Topanga Canyon to the San Gabriel Mountains as the two try to piece together Richard’s histrionic tale.
While revealing their characters’ relationship to Richard could well spoil the plot, this reviewer would be remiss in not at least mentioning the actors’ standout performances in the flashbacks. Vanessa Born shines in their comic turn as the shaman-like Eli Timber while Valerie Larson embodies frustration as Holly in a brutal yet amusing monologue. Jane Papageorge acquits herself well in an otherwise clichéd role and Allison Reeves’ tearful turn as Aunt Ruth could well bring mutual waterworks.
Along the way, Richard’s encounters with real-time characters range from the humorous, like his banter with the snooty desk clerk Chip (Trip Langley), to the sympathetic, like his dialogue with the hotel manager Dick (Chait, script in hand, gamely serving as understudy for Kim Estes). Stealing the show is Rebecca O’Brien as Connie, a jaded waitress with a caustic wit yet a heart of gold.
Huen’s hangdog expression conveys a credible world weariness of a retired cop who has seen too much and is happy for banality of hotel security. Huen’s and Bradley’s confessional rapport rings true, aided by Chait’s thoughtful staging and the actors’ commitment. Chait’s balance of pathos and humor helps keep our interest throughout, which helps when things get bleak. And oh, do they get bleak. Marco DeLeon’s elaborate sets, from the fancy hotel lobby to Holly’s tiled kitchen, as well as Gregory Craft’s lighting plot, adds to the verisimilitude of the locales and the action. And hats off to the stage crew for their seamless work in set transitions, especially those benches.
Bradley, at points confused, determined, and foolish, brings an empathetic rendering to the contradiction that is Richard, and we sympathize with him even at his most unappealing moments. An Everyman, Richard is beset by the question that he dolefully asks Mike, and by extension one we ask ourselves, “A good person can do a bad thing and still be a good person, can’t they?”
Sadly, this may be one of the last productions at The Complex facility that was founded by Chait over thirty years ago and is part of the venerable “Theatre Row” district of performance spaces that has been a bastion for local theatre since 1992. The landlord plans to sell the building housing “Theatre Row” and The Complex may be shuttering on December 31, 2022. But there is an effort to save the building and for more info check out The Complex website at https://complextheatresandstudios.com/
Flight Theatre, 6472 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.; through Oct. 9. (323) 465-0383. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bearings-tickets-395606518747 Running time: 75 minutes.
