A phone, a pair of underwear and a set of keys: Everyday items carry an explosive charge in "Saturday Night at the Palace," a clamorous but unconvincing three-hander about the corrosive effects of racism that's a Furious Theatre production at Pasadena Playhouse's Carrie Hamilton Theatre.
It's 1982, somewhere near the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa. A couple of young white "okes" (Eric Pargac and Shawn Lee) on their way home from a late-night party have run into motorcycle trouble. Tired, hungry and drunk, they stumble on a burger joint that September (Sean Blakemore), a taciturn Zulu, is closing. As the night grinds on, the issue turns out not to be the engine but rather what's secretly driving each man's actions.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday, May 06, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 34 words Type of Material: Correction
'He Asked for It': A theater review of "He Asked for It" in Friday's Calendar section gave the wrong first name of the actor who plays Ted. The actor is Joe Egender, not Jed.
This "Palace" is a revival of Furious Theatre's 2002 inaugural production, which garnered considerable attention. (How many companies would start off with a show that required a Zulu language consultant?) The intrepid Furious has gone on to stage compelling work by Jez Butterworth, Craig Wright and Muslim American playwright Yussef El Guindi, and their bold, familiar gestalt is here too: The design elements, especially Cricket S. Myers' relentlessly percussive sound, create an atmosphere of exhaustion bordering on delirium. And the subject matter packs a wallop -- a bluntly effective reminder of how recently apartheid held brutal sway over South Africa.
But author Paul Slabolepszy's violent chamber piece is tricky. While the play offers surprising twists, not all feel credible or earned. Director Damaso Rodriguez hasn't figured out how to make each appear inevitable rather than schematic; as a result, the actors seem like they're trying to service a particular story instead of inhabiting a world where their limited options are shrinking fast. As September, Blakemore turns in impressively focused work, yet even he can't transcend the sense that the game is rigged. While "Palace" may be Furious' celebratory return to the past, perhaps they've come further than they realize.
-- Charlotte Stoudt
"Saturday Night at the Palace," Pasadena Playhouse Carrie Hamilton Theatre, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. Sundays. Ends May 31. $10-$25. (800) 595-4849. Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes.
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A bold, brave but baffling 'Mission'
