THE PLAY: Three men hang out in a junk shop, where a rare nickel was recently sold for $90. While they cuss, quarrel and berate each other, they consider the options for stealing it back.

 

THE PRODUCTION: This trio completely inhabits their roles with a bravura commitment to their unsavory characters. They make the hard core dialogue and cruel interplay sizzle with mean-spirited energy. Director Daniel Moore amplifies their intensity with dynamic staging (however, the pivotal scene on the floor is lost to much of the audience). Vinnie Gonzalez has converted the space into a junk store (down to the name on the door), an impressive accomplishment that places the audience in the action. Michael Jarett has cleverly used an eclectic assortment of lamps across the ceiling for lighting, although the subtle rise and fall of intensity seemed unmotivated. Mamet’s mean-spirited rat-a-tat-tat isn’t for every theatregoer. While I can appreciate the excellence of the production, the power of the play eludes me.

 

THE POINT: For an audience that appreciates Mamet, this production is bristling with a caustic energy created by the trio’s skillful performances.

 

(4 / 5)

 

A Quill Theatre production at TheatreLAB’s The Basement thru 11/1