Through the Glass Theatre Ensemble presents Sarah Ruhl’s surrealist comedy Dead Man’s Cell Phone at AS220’s Black Box. Ruhl is known for her probing humor, vivid imagination and poignant humanity. Director Olivia M. Sahlin artfully takes on challenging topics in a world of ordinary people living extraordinary lives, and small coincidences opening into quirky metaphysical conundrums.
An incessantly-ringing cell phone in a quiet café. A stranger at the next table, who has heard quite enough. A dead man, with a lot of loose ends. So begins Dead Man’s Cell Phone, a piece about how we remember the dead, and how that memorialization changes us. It’s the journey of a woman forced to confront her presumptions about morality, redemption, and isolation in a technologically obsessed society.
Jean (Ricci Mann) can’t give up Gordon’s (Mario K Sasso) cell phone, and must face confrontations from his family, associates and others to explain his death and, in her mind, repair their relationships and feelings. It’s a big job— a thankless one she doesn’t need to accept— but whole-heartedly takes on the altruistic mission with full conviction. Dwight, Gordon’s brother (Kurt Nelson) also has a heart of gold, but doesn’t feel the need to address Gordon’s loss or his private business. Mann is especially fun to watch, as she smiles through every uncomfortable rough patch she encounters. She is believably expressive and gleefully energetic. Sasso and Nelson also deliver great performances with both comical and heart-felt emotions.
At one point, Gordon speaks directly to the audience in a thought-provoking reframing of the moments leading up to his death inside the café. He expresses his disgust with the current state of the world, and tells of the illicit dealings he made money on. As he begins to suffer a heart attack, he considers calling someone- but isn’t thrilled with his choices. Alas, he dies while watching Jean eat the last bowl of lobster bisque that, in a perfect world, would’ve been his. We can all relate to not getting what we want, and for Gordon, this is literally hell.
The grieving widow, Hermia, is a fall-down drunk portrayed by Rachel Hanauer, who has an amazing singing voice. The Other Woman/The Stranger (Jhoira Walsh) also adds comic relief with dramatic notes of her own. Mrs. Gottlieb, Gordon’s Mother (Lucid Clairvoyant) appears the ever-stout figure, but we know the death of her favorite child hurts. Ensemble includes Tim Bric, Lionel LaFleur, Ayla Lapointe, Kira May Santos and Chris Schulthies.
“I feel deep gratitude for the talent, dedication, and collaborative spirit of this marvelous cast and crew,” says Sahlin. “We strove to serve the messages of this beautiful script using all the artistic elements and resources available to us, supporting the themes and imagery, and establishing a surreal world populated by compelling and charismatic individuals. The production explores celebration and mourning, loneliness and connection, stagnation and growth, and second chances. Directing this show has been a heartwarming and fulfilling experience, and it is my hope that our audience feels the same about the experience of seeing it.”
The production feels a bit longer than it needs to be, yet takes us out with an oddly surprising ending that explains much, and will leave you contemplating your universe.
Dead Man’s Cell Phone is presented through April 5. Show is about two hours with a 10-minute intermission. For more information, visit http://www.throughtheglasstheatre.com.
Photography credit: Christopher Lapidas
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(L-R, Sasso, Clairvoyant and Nelson)