Unbroken Circles
Unbroken Circles is a very curious play currently showing at the Odyssey Theatre in West Los Angeles, and after several days digestion, I still can’t decide if I like it or not. Greg Phillips’ play never quite establishes what it wants to be, and this lack of clarity left me puzzled about its intent.
The play is presented in three acts, and I daresay the first is a veritable throwaway. Devoted primarily to introducing the members of the Moss Family of country music fame, the first act moves slowly and teases with hints of humor, but ultimately seems pointless and forced. Several nodding heads in the audience confirmed my perception, and with the exception of a few laughs from Mama Dot (Jamie Corbin), I couldn’t see a reason for this introduction. There are simply too many superfluous characters who add little to the proceedings, and narrator Sammy Moss (Tom Fonss) becomes an annoyance with his folksy observations as he repeatedly “breaks the fourth wall,” in what is becoming a much-too-used device of late on the Los Angeles theatre scene.
The second act finally delivers some of the promised big hats, big hair, and big addictions with the arrival of Mama Jo (Helen Richman), who is being feted for her 75th birthday. Mama Jo is all piss and vinegar and she single-handedly carries the act, dispensing country wisdom and laying down cutting ripostes to her dysfunctional brood. The play finally takes on some life during this second act, as the characters act out and stake out some ground for themselves, but any promise engendered by Mama Jo’s arrival is quickly stifled by final act.
Reverting to the confusing hash of the first act, Phillips tries to do too much with his finish. There are fleeting efforts to touch on themes like God, abandonment, addiction, and even homosexuality (I think), but each of these themes is too neatly compartmentalized and the audience never feels invested in any of the characters, let alone the demons they’re supposed to represent. There is some fine acting in this show, and technically, the Moss Family can still hold a tune, but bad material, even in the hands of country legends, ain’t gonna make it to the Opry.____________________________________
Theater: Odyssey Theatre, West Los Angeles
Web Site: http://www.odysseytheatre.com/
Tickets: 310-477-2055
Dates: Jan 29–Mar 1, 2009