Still Life

Reviewed by Julio Martinez
Rogue Machine
Through April 23

The halting sense of bleakness, which is the hallmark of the lives of many Generation X-ers, is the focus of Alexander Dinelaris’ play. Photographer Carrie Ann (beautifully realized by Laurie Okin) has a relentlessly dark view of life. In one alcohol-fueled diatribe, she addresses a classroom of college photography students, urging them to take pictures of the world before it disappears and everyone dies. Yet, she herself hasn’t picked up a camera in months, still traumatized by the death of her father and mentor, Theo (Frank Collison).    

Michael Peretzian utilizes a minimalist grey-toned set (functionally realized by Tom Buderwitz), as the drama is played out in a series of short scenes that serve to both clarify and – at times –  disappointingly muddy the proceedings. Guarded and defensive, particularly with Department Head Joanne (flinty-edged Susan Wilder), Carrie Ann asks to be allowed to lay down her camera. Instead she hopes to pursue a life of academia, teaching at the university. In the meantime, she becomes intrigued by “trends analyst” ad man Jeffrey (Lea Coco) whom she meets at a showing of her most recent works. A romance between the two quickly heats up. At Jeffrey’s urging, she finally agrees to a prestigious but short-term job with National Geographic Magazine shooting wildlife in the Serengeti. She also begins mentoring a charming and playful star student, Jessie (Tanya Verafield). Yet, none of these positives in her life can wedge her out of her deeply engrained skepticism and depression.

Dinelaris toys with the dynamics of contemporary relationships, contrasting the endearingly romantic pas de deux between Carrie Ann and Jeffrey against the brutal and sexually direct approach employed by Jeffrey’s macho boss Terry (Jonathan Bray). As warmly hopeful as the pairing of Carrie Ann and Jeffrey is, it is eventually sabotaged by Jeffrey’s deteriorating health, while Terry is done in when pitted against a dead-eyed bar maid (Jennifer Sorenson) who feeds off him like a shark.    

Director Peretzian is generally able to connect the dots of the many fragmented scenes but is given too many stumbling blocks, including Dinelaris’ flashback encounters between Carrie Ann and her father. These too heavily reinforce the guilt Carrie Ann carries for outdistancing her father’s artistically as a photographer.

Still Life suffers further from Dinelaris’ view of a disillusioned and dysfunctional generation. Peretzian does instill veracity into the characters’ interactions — particularly the romantic blooming between Carrie Ann and Jeffrey. But it is telling that in the final scene Carrie Ann lifts her camera to immortalize her subject, staying true to her quest to preserve that which will eventually be lost forever. She has not evolved. Dinelaris’ play lacks a moving dramatic through line, leaving us begging the question of our stunted protagonist, “What’s the matter with you?”  

Rogue Machine (at the MET theatre), 1089 N. Oxford Ave, Hollywood; Sat. & Mon. 8:30p.m.; Sun, 3 p.m.; through April 23. (855)585-5285. Running Time: 2 hours, one intermission.