Me, As a Penguin
“A drop-stitch isn’t the end of the world.”
For Stitch (Brendan Hunt), his world starts to unravel after stealing a baby penguin. Seeing himself in the runt that can’t “get any,” Stitch impulsively hides the animal in his nephew’s Transformer lunch box before stowing it in his sister’s bathroom shower.
This is the odd but brilliantly irreverent premise to Tom Wells’ American premiere of his London play, which opened last year at the Arcola Theatre to rave reviews. A young playwright, Wells weaves quite a yarn about a middle-aged man exploring his sexuality or lack thereof while couch crashing with his pregnant sister Liz (Mina Badie) and her commitment-phobic partner, Mark (James Donovan).
An otherwise normal evening of Liz eating Battenberg cake, “It tastes better when it’s in a grid,” while Stitch knits a miniature scarf breaks out into absolute stunning mayhem when Liz and Mark discover a baby penguin “residing in their shower tray.” Stitch tries to defend his actions, transferring his own social difficulties onto the small creature singled out by the other penguins.
Stitch’s first and only lover, Dave (Johnny Giacalone), a zookeeper and an otherwise unfeeling bloke attempts to recover the confiscated penguin while wearing all things, a penguin suit. As Liz and Mark rush to the hospital to have their baby, Stitch confronts Dave, coming to terms with his sexuality and the feelings of isolation it brings.
Using a constant refrain of pop cultural references from Liz and Stitch dancing the scene from Pulp Fiction, IKEA wares, and a funny, philosophical take on Lipps Inc. “Funkytown” offset by a moving “This Woman’s Work” by Kate Bush, the story itself occasionally hits a snag from the overabundance of the current zeitgeist. Nevertheless, it’s an astounding work, deftly avoiding sentimentality even at the risk of being somewhat superficial.
The play is divided into scenes for dramatic effect, giving it an episodic feel. This works well in the first act, but becomes a bit too much of a device in the second. John Pleshette’s smart direction overcomes these breaks by not permitting too much time to lapse between them.
The cast does a commendable task with the halting, hyper-specific dialogue. Although the accents may not always hit the mark, the darker elements in this comedy are more than realized. Badie lends saucy Liz a softer tone in her scenes with Hunt. Donovan effectively nuances his conflict over the sofa with pangs of regret and responsibility. Giacalone plays well against the initial ridiculousness of his insensitive character. Hunt’s performance is riveting in his awkwardness and world-weary loneliness so easily felt.
This bittersweet comedy is a fresh, inviting new work by a burgeoning talent from across the pond. It has just the right balance of humor and heart to make this worth a go-see.
“Me, As a Penguin”
Runs through Mar 6
Fri and Sat at 8pm
Sundays at 4pm
The Lost Studio
130 S. La Brea Ave.
(Bet 1st & 2nd)
LA, CA 90036
Tickets are $25
PH: 323-960-7721
www.plays411.com/me