"A hilarious duel of psychological battering..."
by Lovell Estell III, LA Weekly, January 29, 2004
Pick of the Week
Play Strindberg
If you can imagine a marital bout with the trappings and ceremony of a boxing match, you’ve got a fair idea of the concept behind Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s rarely performed gem. Dürrenmatt uses the characters and situation from August Strindberg’s Dance of Death and transforms it into a farce set on a deserted island where Edgar (Joe Garcia), a “celebrated military man of letters,” and Alice (Holly Jeanne), “a celebrated actress,” have endured 25 years of a nightmare marriage. For 12 “rounds,” they indulge in a hilarious duel of psychological battering, snipes, accusations and emotional one-upmanship. The sudden appearance of Alice’s cousin, Kurt (Travis Michael Holder), adds gasoline to the fire, as he is drawn into their convoluted relationship and is forced to reveal some long-held secrets. Holder and Jeanne are quite good, but this show belongs to Garcia. Whether strutting about in his uniform, parrying with a sword, mugging, attacking a meal with manic sensuality, or having a cataleptic seizure — which he frequently does — he’s a riot. Hope Alexander directs masterfully.