Smoke

Reviewed by Paul Birchall
Rogue Machine Theatre
Through July 16

Playwright Kim Davies’ intentionally disconcerting drama about sex and morality plants its tent pole within the terrain of both 50 Shades of Grey and a Penthouse Forum story, albeit with unexpectedly heartrending results. 

At a sex party in Manhattan (It’s always Manhattan — why do we never get invited to these parties out here in L.A.?), student artist John (Patrick Stafford) meets up with Julie (Emily James), a lovely beauty, who turns out to be the daughter of the artist John is interning for. It is a potentially erotic and awkward situation — but the seemingly near-virginal Julie and the pretending-to-be-jaded John decide to get it on anyway, regardless of whether they’ll have to pass each other in “Daddy’s” hall the next day.

The party activities include some making out, some groping, and rather more conversation than one would expect at a sex party. When it comes time to get down and whip out the whipping tools, though, Julie discovers unexpected weaknesses in the supposedly dominant John, which complicates the perfect tryst. 

Davies’ drama tries its damnedest to shock us with the characters’ ostensibly needy desire for string-free sexual behavior, but the work’s fascinating undercurrent of melancholy is far more powerful than any bona fide lustful activity.  Although the dialogue could use pruning —some exchanges are so long-winded, we start to wonder why the pair remains in the room together — director Lisa James does a fine job of crafting a boiler room-like mood, in which their desire for each other simmers and bubbles, but with little chance of actual emotional connection. 

It’s the paradoxical relationship between the couple’s abundant sexual chemistry and their personal detachment that makes the show intriguing: You can tell from the personalities they’re affecting that the relationship is quite simply not going to work out. James’ hilariously frisky turn as the nubile Julie — yearning for some kind of daddy love, but doomed not to find it — is surprisingly touching. Stafford’s moody performance as John, all youthful anger and bravado, but unexpectedly weak in the face of authority, is fascinatingly complex. His cracking façade interestingly contrasts with Julie’s increasing confidence.