By D. A. Blackburn
The second installment of Joseph Zettelmaier's "All Childish Things Trilogy" at Planet Ant Theatre opens in perfect — and exceptionally funny — "Star Wars" fashion, with floating paragraphs in space and some very iconic music. The laughs start immediately, and they keep coming with the tenacity of storm troopers.
Set a year after the first installment, "Episode II" could easily be titled "The Mafioso Strikes Back." Zettelmaier's troupe of friends, estranged since their botched robbery and the collapse of their trust, find themselves uneasily reunited in a luxury suite at the Sky's The Limit Casino. Each has, in their own way, spent the previous year grappling with the results of their foray into crime.
Max, left isolated and alone, has made a romantic connection. Kendra and Carter, now married, have struggled to stay together as their lives have crumbled under the weight of guilt. And Dave, having taken a job working for Al "The Big Man" DiMartino, has experienced the Dark Side. He wants out, and collectively, the friends all seek a return to the lives they knew prior to their failed heist. But DiMartino isn't willing to let them walk away scot-free.
Though considerable time passed between the writing of "Episodes I and II," Zettelmaier's second script feels like a perfectly natural progression. His characters maintain the depth set forth in the prior installment. In "Episode II" he introduces audiences to two wholly new characters — Bobby Hunt (Ted Neda) and Lamont Wilson (Scott Norman) — and they, too, feel very substantial.
And while this second production is every bit as funny as its predecessor, it is also a bit more poignant. The triliogy's ultimate message, about the power and strength of true friendship, is much more potent here. In short, it is considerably more heartwarming than the original.
Director Shannon Ferrante approached the trilogy as a single work, and to this end, her cast performs with a consistent energy and intensity. As in the first installment, the cast performs here at a very high level, with exceptional comedic timing and chemistry.
In the technical disciplines of lighting and sound, "Episode II" maintains the high standard set in "Episode I," and moreover, the work showcases some very impressive fight choreography by Kevin Young. But the work does fall flat, by comparison, when it comes to sets and properties.
Though for "Episode I" the Planet Ant's stage was thoughtfully transformed into a basement apartment, the space is much less convincing as a luxury suite. In part, this owes to the reuse of a somewhat ratty couch — a perfect fit for the basement, but not so for a casino suite.
When it comes to properties, particularly consumables, "Episode II" is weak. Where "Episode I" used real pizza, the second installment employs empty liquor bottles and empty glassware, and the result feels very synthetic. The simple act of pouring a glass of whiskey feels unnatural and stiff to the eye.
But these are small failings in a very satisfying production, and the high caliber of writing and acting in "Episode II" make the production a worthy sequel.
REVIEW:
'All Childish Things: Episode II'
Planet Ant Theatre, 2357 Caniff Ave., Hamtramck. Plays in rotating repertory through July 16. $20. 313-365-4948. http://www.planetant.com
