Birder

Reviewed by Vanessa Cate
The Road Theatre Company
Through June 19

RECOMMENDED

Roger (Chet Grissom) is a sweet, if awkward, Everyman: newly disillusioned at existence as he begins to experience what may or may not be a mid-life crisis. As an accountant at a major law firm, a devoted husband, provider and father of two, he works diligently to furnish the necessities and whims of the members of his household. But one day when confronted with the all-knowing gaze of a house finch outside his home, Roger suddenly feels aware of his lack of freedom and recognition. So he decides to forgo all other responsibilities, and instead embrace his new joy: bird watching.

In Charles (Webster Williams), a stern and experienced birdwatcher, Roger finds an unknowing mentor. In Charles’ daughter, the beautiful and patient Rebecca (Monique Marie Gelineau), Roger finds something more. How much of the appeal of his daily retreat into the woods is inspired by his newfound avian fancy, and how much is prompted by the promise of a young woman who seems to accept him for who he is, is intentionally unclear.

Commissioned and developed by Center Theatre Group, Julie Marie Myatt’s Birder is a gentle script that explores human need and the perils of responsibility much as one might explore the woods in search of mysterious birds — with great delicacy. Though the ending is a tad insipid, the journey towards it is thoughtful and easy to relate to.

Laurie Okin plays Roger’s delusional and equally unsatisfied wife Joyce with nuanced credibility. Grissom’s Roger is sincere and childlike, falling somewhere along the border of the autistic spectrum and the trope of a henpecked husband. Their children, never presented on stage, are represented as constant unseen burdens.

Tom Bunderwitz’s cubist scenic design, along with Tom Ontiveros’ projections, adds interesting dimension to the play while serving to seamlessly transport us across settings. And director Dan Bonnell demonstrates a good understanding of the script, characters, and the skills of the performers, utilizing all to their full advantage.

The Road on Lankershim, 5108 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m.; through June 19. (818)761-8838 or www.roadtheatre.org Running time: 95 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.