Louis Slotin Sonata
Be forewarned. Cal Rep continues its theatrical mission with
an intelligent, thought-provoking, issue-driven production that
stimulates your brain and sends you home with a gaggle of
concepts to think about. And it ain't for sissies!
The "Louis Slotin Sonata," another explosive drama, just opened
last weekend in the Royal Theater aboard the Queen Mary. Written by
award-winning playwright Paul Mullin, and directed by
internationally renowned guest artist Eberhard Koehler, this
dramatic account of a deadly nuclear accident in Los Alamos follows
Cal Rep's production of "The Love Song of J.Robert Oppenheimer."
If you saw Cal Rep's powerful Oppenheimer work, you know it
demanded complete attention from the audience. So when you go to
this innovative production of the "Louis Slotin Sonata," be prepared
in advance with a thinking cap, an open mind, and an open heart.
Based on what happened when Slotin (a brilliant scientist) had
an infamous "slip of the hand," followed by the fallout of his deadly
error, the official version eulogizes him as a hero. Never mind that he
was a Canadian Jew, he saved the lives of his fellow scientists by
hurling his body on top of the accident, didn't he? Or was he another
cocky show-off who was destroyed by his own arrogance? As Albert
Einstein said, "God does not play dice."
According to director Koehler, "This is a play that doesn't put
answers in front of us, but asks questions about the way we relate
to historic events. Things can be seen differently, used for
propaganda purposes or turned into heroic stories. Everything
depending on what the agenda is."
By employing the classical music structure of a sonata, Mullin
follows Slotin's fatal accident over and over again--repeating it from
different circumstances that see it from different points of view
(shadow puppets, family memories, morphine-induced fantasies,
frightening nightmares, and loyal friends).
Under Koehler's sensitive direction, a delicate balance between
tragedy and grotesque comedy (think Comedy of the Absurd) is
achieved as Cal Rep's cast rotates like clock-work through many
different interpretations. With Josh Nathan's brilliant portrayal of
the lead character, and Alex Billings' convincing performance as his
devoted nurse, we watch Slotin slowly diminish for nine long days
before he slips into a coma and dies.
But before his death, the play explores many conceivable facets of
his fatal accident, along with its historical background and the people
who took part in its surroundings: fellow scientists, Slotin's doctor,
his nurse, his father, army officers, government officials, and a good
friend.
Playing various scenes that range from horror and pathos through
brutal reality, to outrageous black comedy (brought on by morphine
injections to kill Slotin's pain), are six additional Cal Rep cast members.
Identified only as Man 2 through Man 7, they include Craig Anton,
Robert Prior, John Prosky, David Vegh, Simon Brooke, and Jerry Prell,
Both collectively and individually, their performances are terrific.
All of the madness takes place on Jeff Eisenmann's set (the same
one that was designed for Cal Rep's Oppenheimer production), under
Ronan Kilkelly's lighting. Stephanie Dunbar designed the costumes that
are appropriate to the action, Mark Nichols was responsible for the
period music, and Ezra LeBank choreographed the cast's movement.
"Louis Slotin Sonata" continues in the Royal Theatre aboard the
Queen Mary; Tuesday-Saturday, 8 pm; Sunday at 2 pm; through December
10; with no performances November 22-26 due to Thanksgiving.
Parking for Cal Rep productions is $6. For ticket information, call
(562) 985-5526 or go on line at www.calrep.org.