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[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of Pergola Productions and Theatre West’s Watermarks (A Fugue), a new play written by Abbott Alexander and directed by Marco Rivera, running February 14–23 at Theatre West.
Watermarks (A Fugue) is a tricky play to write about. On the surface the story seems simple enough. One man enters a card shop to while away 20 minutes or so while he waits for his takeout to be ready from the cafe next door. The store is occupied by a strange man. Compelling, wise, obtuse and overly familiar. As the customer browses, the shopkeeper paces and prods, cajoles and entices, in double speak and nonsense. And sometimes in song. Yet, all somehow viscerally connecting to this lonely browser and slowly, slowly we begin to understand perhaps a little of what is really going on…
It’s a satire of sorts, with a sprinkling of nonsense and a smattering of ironic truth. However, it’s also profoundly sad in an almost romantic way. As the two men get to know each other, it seems clear that they have always known each other. Always expected to meet somewhere, sometime.
The unfolding of the story, the background, the raison d’etre, the creeping revelations and the undoing of pretense create an ever-building feeling of happy dread.
How is this combination of moments even possible within the confines of our universe? How could one ordinary man, an aging background actor, wander haplessly into the path of such a shopkeeper? Is it fate or fiction? Fantasy or karma? Or, is it a combination of all those unlikely events and happen stances that draw our path to destiny?
Either way, Watermarks (A Fugue) gives for quite a comic, dark ride. These two disparate characters joust and jostle around each other. Sparing verbally and almost physically time and time again.
But as they do it becomes clear that the burden of heartbreaking regret is what brought this stranger to the shop and the shopkeeper is there to guide him through it and onward.
Watermarks (A Fugue) is a riveting and brutally honest 90 minutes of utter brilliance. These two actors manage magically to make this meeting truthful and honest, thoughtful, tender and violent, worthwhile and completely genuine. They are incredible together.
Almost in a lovers’ embrace they inhabit every inch of the stage and seem to levitate with their truly astonishing performances. I see a lot of plays. I do. But Watermarks (A Fugue) is something else. Abbott Alexander is the weirdly wonderful shopkeeper and he plays it like a maniacal angel. All rock n roll otherworldly-ness with a poet’s icy heart. And his counterpart is played by the wonderfully tragic Steve Nevil, a hangdog and complicated and alone. They are perfect together. Fearless and mesmerizing.
Watermarks (A Fugue) is unmissable. It really is so absolutely brilliant I cannot urge you enough to see it.
There is only one more weekend. So don’t miss your chance to spend some time with these funny, wild, tender characters on their journey to the end through meaning and significance, purpose and love. I’m telling everyone I know to go!!!
Where:
Theatre West
3333 Cahuenga Blvd W, Los Angeles
When:
February 14–23
Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm
Tickets:
https://theatrewest.org/on-stage/watermarks-by-abbott-alexander
CAST:
(in alphabetical order) Abbott Alexander, Briana Burnside, Helen Floersh, Scottie Nevil, and Steve Nevil.
CREW:
Linda Pace (producer), Marco Rivera (director),Abbott Alexander (writer)
Previous Theatre West Reviews: