Now running at the Lillian Theatre in Hollywood is Elephant Theatre Company’s world premiere of Block Nine, a same-sex noir by writer Tom Stanczyk. The play is performed by two alternating casts, one all male and the other all female, each with its own director and approach to the text. I had the pleasure of seeing both casts take a crack at the edgy and stylized script, and I’m pleased to say both versions were entertaining with highlights of sexiness, danger and humor.
I attended the women’s version first on the recommendation of a friend of mine. Even with knowledge that I would see both eventually, I was conscious of how the initial viewing would influence my first impressions. I can say with confidence that if you have the time and inclination you should see both versions of Block Nine, if only because of the standouts in both casts. But alas, I must start somewhere, so ladies first.
The casts share a compact set designed by Danny Cistone. Cistone gives the play a segmented playing space with many levels and distinct locations, each with a mild asymmetry that exaggerates the cramped spaces. An upper platform begins the play as a bedroom where Mary, the undercover cop who goes by ‘Lockjaw’, thrashes through a nightmare. Below the bedroom to stage left is a desk and an office door with glass frosted in the noir spirit, to stage right is a jail cell occupied by ‘Lips’, the unfortunate gangster nabbed in her gang’s latest caper. Front apron of the stage serves as the hideout of notorious gangland mistress Cody and her three clownish goons, Nails, Putty and the naive Jenny Bell. Lighting Designer Joel Daavid delivers the feeling that everything occurs at night, in a world lit only through Venetian blinds and jail cell bars.
Block Nine refers to the prison block where ‘Lockjaw’ is undercover. She cozies up to ‘Lips’, a ferocious killer who is keen on breaking out of jail and taking Lockjaw with her. Lips is played with a startling intensity by Maya Parish who looks skeletal and fierce in the convict’s trademark white and black striped pajamas. Lips either ignores or exploits that Mary is a snitch but takes advantage of her to pass the time, and later, to get past the night nurse on the death wagon. Its here that Lips makes a deadly promise and tells Mary to “Kiss me, and I’ll show you where the body is.”
The real shining star of the dames’ cast is actress Dylan Jones who plays the mob boss Cody. The script’s stylized language sounds the best coming from her mouth, and she dominates the stage with her presence. She controls a troop of lady gangsters, all of whom seem bound to her through sexual aggression and fear. Her methodical manipulation of the weaker character in the story are compelling and culminate in either frightening violence or steamy reconciliation. Also exemplary is Kerry Carney as Margaux, Cody’s “fancy” guest who defies her rough surroundings to revel in romance, and eventually, the hereafter.
What struck me most about attending the play for a second time, this time to see the men try their hand at the same story, was how the treatment of each role could change so much from actor to actor while leaving the play as a whole untouched. Max Williams plays Cody as a cackling sociopath and is an incredible force on stage, looking like a roughly aged James Dean with a touch of Nick Nolte. His raspy voice, cold humor and volatile temper brought true danger to the Stanczyk’s somewhat underdeveloped plot. Cody’s fella counterpart in the play’s early scenes is Armand, a Latin fop played by Louis Douglas Jacobs who steals the show with well timed bits and a satisfying chemistry with the play’s chief villain.
For those who may be skeptical of sexually experimental casting choices: In this case the single gender casting does not come off as gimmicky at all, and really does provide some fun juxtapositions for the genre. Watching two crooks in jail fall in love and break out together is a sad and passionate thing to catch, especially if one is an undercover cop. Here, women can play the timeless anti-hero, the love between a boss and a goon can have erotic undertones, a gritty detective can fall prey to a seductive homme fatale.
There are a few separate plots in the story, some are gems and some fall flat. I adore any play where corpses speak, especially when they wonder about the afterlife and say things like “These thoughts make me anxious.” The story between the undercover agent Mary/Hank and her jealous partner Ruth/Phil fall flat in both versions, although the laughs come faster with the boys, if only for the overt jokes about fellatio. The humor being lampooned in these scenes is outdated, and for both casts I was unmoved by the personal relationship of the two police(wo)men and how it interfered with their duties in bringing down Cody and his gang.
But most every negative aspect of this play is washed away by the design and construction of the costumes. Sara Ryung Clement manages the extremely difficult task of clothing women gangsters and does so without making a single one look manish or out of place in a dress. Margaux’s dress is absolutely fabulous, it highlights Carney’s voluptuous curves and makes her a sight to behold. And the hats, the hats! The period detail in this and other aspects of the design round out a stage noir style that is often imitated and seldom achieved.
The staging is deftly suited to the V-shaped house of the Lillian, with well composed stage pictures that mimic the close-ups, glancing over-the-shoulders and the iconic silhouettes of film noir. When the sound and lights are not in sync with the end of a scene the style can unravel, but when everything goes right this play conjures the best of a bygone era when women were women and men were men.
BLOCK NINE is written by Tom Stanczyk, is Directed by Emilie Beck (Dames) and Peter Uribe (Fellas) and features two alternating casts.
The fellas are Darryl Armbruster, Josh Breeding, Jeremy Glazer, Louis Douglas Jacobs, Ryan Radis, Dominic Rains, Matthew Rimmer, Kenny Suarez, Max Williams, Colin Michael Day**. The dames are Kerry Carney*, Amy French, Cheryl Huggins, Alexandra Hoover*, Dylan Jones, Nikki McCauley, Marisa O’Brien, Maya Parish, Julie Weidmann, Laura Hess** (*alternating, **understudy). The design team includes Danny Cistone (set), Joel Daavid (lights), Sara Ryung Clement (costumes), and Jack Arky (sound).
BLOCK NINE opens Friday, August 14, 2009 at 8 p.m. It runs August 14 through October 3, 2009. With previews August 7th, 8th, 9th at 8 p.m. and August 13 at 7 p.m. Running days are Thursday, Friday, Saturday 8 p.m. Sunday @ 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Exceptions: No 2pm performance on Sun 9/27. Added 3pm performance on Sat 10/3
Tickets are $25 / $35 special to see both shows.
The Lillian Theater (1076 N. Lillian Way (Corner of Santa Monica Blvd. between Cahuenga and Vine) Hollywood 90038). For reservations call 323.960.4410 or online at www.plays411.com/blocknine
