The Malcontented State of Our Youth...
The Studio Theatre
1333 P Street N.W (at 14th)
Washington, DC
202-332-3300
http://studiotheatre.org/
Review by Rich See,
dcmdva-arts.org reviewer
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The second production in Studio Theatre’s repertory
of Kenneth Lonergan plays, This Is Our Youth, is another slice-of-life
drama with comedic overtones; this time centering on the angst-ridden lives of
wealthy, 19 year old Manhattan kids in 1982. Dennis Ziegler (Jon Bernthal)
and Warren Straub (Karl Miller) seem to be going nowhere: Warren smokes pot
constantly and Dennis, a drug dealer, supplies him with his hash. The
friendship, like their lives, is out-of-balance, with Dennis abusing Warren and
Warren taking the abuse and coming back for more. In fact it seems Warren
takes everyone's abuse without complaining - including his father's physical
abuse, which he has been enduring for nine years. And at this
cusp-of-adulthood drama, as the closing song suggests, changes are about to
happen whether any of the characters want them to or not.
Pulitzer Prize nominated This Is Our Youth opens up on a Saturday night as Warren arrives at Dennis' apartment suitcase and backpack in hand. It seems old man Straub, a successful businessman in the lingerie industry, has just thrown Warren out for his constant pot smoking and defensive sarcastic demeanor. Before kicking him out however, Mr. Straub feels it necessary to rough Warren up one last time before telling his son to get lost. In retaliation, Warren, high on pot, decides to seek "reparations for a bad childhood" and wanders the house looking for things to lift and pawn. It's while taking this appraisal tour of the Straub family home that he discovers $15,000 in his father's attaché case in the old guy's bedroom. With his brain fried like an egg, taking the money seems the perfect pay back scheme to Warren, so he puts it in a backpack, fills his suitcase with his 1950's collectible kitsch, and heads out to Dennis' for a place to stay until he sorts things out. When he arrives at his friend’s door, Dennis is both incensed and frightened over Warren’s actions. Certain that Mr. Straub will be sending his body guard/driver over to get the money and beat both of them to a pulp, Dennis convinces Warren to take all the money back the following Monday. Only problem is Warren has already used some of the money to purchase more pot and pay back Dennis $200.
Thus the backdrop is set for a story about, among other things, violent family homes, drug abuse, street hustling, the dangers of emotional excess in family life, the downside of fame, egotism, self-esteem, young love, and fatalistic youth. Lonergan has thrown quite a bit into this 2-½ hour production and it’s to the company members’ credit that the show flows so smoothly.
Director Serge Seiden has a great knack for casting
and getting his actors to bring their roles to life. His ensemble cast blends smoothly together, their timing on
both the comedic and tragic parts just right to draw a laugh from the audience
or a pause of thought.
Karl Miller and Jon Bernthal both shine in their
roles of Warren and Dennis. Miller
believably brings Warren from an adolescent pothead to an adult as maturity
dawns on him through the slow realization of his own self-esteem. Bernthal takes the hyper kinetic Dennis and moves him from
simply being a one-dimensional hustler to a study in extreme insecure, egotistic
shallowness. Amy Montminy fills
Jessica Goldman, Warren’s love interest, with 19- year old insecurity and
misunderstanding as a girl beginning to feel her independence. Giorgo Tsappas’ setting is aesthetically grungy and world weary, while
Peter Joyce’s lighting and Jeff Poretsky’s music selection’s go admirably
with the production.
This Is Our Youth, runs through June 9th and is in repertory with Lobby Hero. Tickets are available at 202-332-3300 or at tickets.com.