David Levi and Chloe Avakian. (Photo by Kate Schaaf)
Reviewed by Lovell Estell III
Hudson Backstage Theatre
Through Nov. 15
David Levi, Maya Donato, Buddy Keaton, and Ava Capri. (Photo by Kate Schaaf)
Writer/director Tianna Loverde’s dark comedy would be more engaging if there were greater focus and a lot more substance in the writing. As is, Party Trick runs consistently thin from early on, and doesn’t tell much of a story.
When it opens, we are in the bedroom (an attractive boudoir with an appealing lived-in messiness by Kate Schaaff) of Clemmie (Chloe Avakian), who is sleeping off a hangover after a wild night. She is being visited by longtime friends Lydia (Maya Donato), Jude (Buddy Keaton), and Frances (Ava Capri), all of whom are gay. After minutes of animated talk, the subject turns to what happened to Clemmie the previous night. Shortly thereafter, Tommy (David Levi) joins the group, and is accused by the others of taking advantage of Clemmie.
Up until this point, there is a semblance of a developing dramatic arc, but after Tommy is asked to leave, the script goes sideways. There are a flurry of quasi dream like vignettes in which the characters play differing roles, all segments introduced with the words, “This is what happened last night.” In the second scene, the friends are gathered at the beach, and Clemmie is baptized, apparently having undergone some sort of sudden, inexplicable religious conversion. There follows Clemmie entering a confessional, with Jude, Lydia and Frances in clerical garb; Jude performing as a comic and then as a singer (Keaton does have comedic chops and can sing quite well); then back to Clemmie’s bedroom for more of what has by this time has become a sort of bizarre therapy session, with Clemmie’s happiness as the focus. The finale is just as puzzling as the rest of the play.
Loverde appears to be attempting to explore issues of sex, sexual orientation and abuse, but unraveling these themes is an extremely difficult task, along with making sense of all of this. With the exception of Donato and Keaton, the performances are sketchy.
The Hudson Backstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Fri.-Sat., 8 pm, Sun., 2 pm, Sat., Nov. 14, 2 pm, Thurs., Nov 12, 8 pm. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/party-trick-tickets-2000306984036?aff=oddtdtcreator Runtime: 90 minutes with no intermission.
