The cast of "Hylomorph" is open to the potentialities at Planet Ant Theatre. Photo: Planet Ant
While science and math nerds might not always be the most exciting people to hang out and have a beer with, they do make for some fascinating plays. In Michael Frayn's "Copenhagen," for example, physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg meet in 1941 to discuss the moral and technical ramifications of the atomic bomb. In David Auburn's "Proof," the originator of a mathematical equation is at the center of the show's mystery. And now metaphysicists and geologists get their due in the world premiere of Maggie Smith's absurdist comedy "Hylomorph" that opened Feb. 25 at Hamtramck's Planet Ant Theatre.
The plot explores Aristotles's philosophical theory of hylomorphism – the concept that all natural bodies consist of two principles, form and matter – and in particular, his argument that if the particles making up one entity were replaced with particles making up another, that would be a process of destruction rather than change. (Thank you, New World Encyclopedia.) So as you can imagine, his argument is teeming with possibilities for an imaginative playwright – or "potentialities," as playwright Smith describes it in her script. And she does so through the chance meeting of two women who seemingly couldn't be more different: Mrs. Wilson, who can't make mistakes; and Mrs. Nara, an agoraphobic.
The two are thrust together thanks to a newspaper ad placed by Mr. Nara (the metaphysicist) seeking a woman to teach his Japanese wife to speak English. Mr. Wilson (the geologist) believes it's a perfect fit for his wife, and so the husbands arrange a meeting. Little do they suspect what's in store for them all. "I feel the imminent destruction of us both," one woman says to the other not long after they meet. And as the delicious and often-surprising potentialities unfold over the next 75 minutes or so, theatergoers will learn how prophetic that statement is. But more importantly, they'll also walk out of the theater with plenty to think about and mull over – thanks to Smith's intelligent script and its fine interpretation by director Yasmine Jaffri.
To say much more about the plot would ruin the experience for those planning to catch the show. But the fun really begins once the women embark on their "Alice in Wonderland"-like journey through the rabbit hole – or in this case, a credenza – the result of which ultimately leads them to an armed missile half-buried in the desert. To hit or not to hit the destruct button becomes the first act's most important question. But once the decision is made and the first half ends, don't be surprised if you haven't a clue what to expect after intermission.
However, I'll tempt you with this: It gets even better!
Remember, however, that "Hylomorph" is an absurdist comedy – and that means theatergoers should leave their expectations of logic and clarity at Planet Ant's door. Instead, playwright Smith places her characters in a typically incomprehensible situation as far as absurdist plays are concerned, with dialogue that occasionally equals that of its better-known practitioners such as Pinter, Beckett, Albee and Stoddard. Yet also like her more famous cohorts, don't be shocked if much of the story makes little sense. Until, that is, it has time to fully sink in.
Director Jaffri helps in that regard with a thoughtfully conceived interpretation of the script and insightful staging. She keeps each character rooted in the play's reality – none are too broad or silly, for example – while blocking and second-act scene changes reveal much creativity, especially with the use of sound and video by Dyan Bailey and Mikey Brown. A minor irritation, though, are the multiple blackouts for scene changes throughout the first act. (They slow the show's pace. But it's got to be tough with limited space, limited lighting and no separate stage crew.)
Jaffri's decision-making skills are most apparent, though, with her choice of performers.
Samer Ajluni (Mr. Nara) is exactly what you'd expect of a demented metaphysicist, while Steven O'Brien (Mr. Wilson) is the quintessential nerd as the rock-loving geologist.
But pay particularly close attention to Linda Ramsay (Mrs. Nara) and Inga R. Wilson (Mrs. Wilson) – both together and in their brief monologues. Ramsay – without giving away too much – excels at playing a stereotype believably; later, her transformation into a more modern-day woman is equally believable. (There's one moment when tears well up in her eyes and you can't help but feel her pain.) Meanwhile, Wilson (the actress) plays Wilson (the character) as the perfect-looking wife of the 1950s or '60s – think Donna Reed, for example – but you know there's trouble bubbling not far under the surface. What's most fun, though, is watching these two dynamos play off one another – and they have several opportunities to do just that throughout the play.
That alone is worth the price of admission!
REVIEW:
'Hylomorph'
Planet Ant Theatre, 2357 Caniff St., Hamtramck. Friday-Saturday through March 19, with additional performances March 6, 8 & 13. $20. 313-365-4948. http://www.planetant.com
