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Sunday, December 7, 2014

REVIEW: “TILT THE UNLIT CANDLE” FAILS TO IGNITE AT LUNA STAGE

Tilt-The-Unlit-Candle-8x12By Ruth Ross

At a time when the risk of Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol overload is perilously high, a new holiday comedy would be especially welcome. As a result, I was really psyched to attend the world premiere of Ben Clawson's Tilt the Unlit Candle at Luna Stage that opened at Luna Stage this weekend just in time for the holiday season. Here, I thought, would be a wry antidote to all those sugar plums and ghosts!

I hate to be a Grinch, but the tidings I bring you are not those of great joy. Despite a wacky premise and some pretty terrific acting, the play is a pastiche of stock characters, broad comedy and familiar "messages" appropriate to the season. And, although there were some laugh-inducing bits and droll performances, I didn't find it particularly funny.

The folks at StrangeDog Theatre, among them playwright Clawson and director Artem Yatsunov, have partnered with Luna Stage on this production, and because several actors have appeared in StrangeDog productions, it feels at times more like a vanity piece for the troupe.

The premise, as described in Luna Stage's advance copy, sounds promising: "It's time for the annual Christmas Eve services in a small town at an even smaller church. Last year didn't go well, and this year isn't shaping up much better. The congregation is too old, the pastor too young and the choir badly out of tune. Plus, there's a drunk who refuses to get off the church's front steps...Who are these people and just what the heck do they all seem to be searching for?"

The cast of characters are a motley crew, most of them not members of the congregation. There's Ms Martha, the head of the Fellowship Committee, who has a strong (and vocal) opinion on everything having to do with the upcoming service: the garlands adorning the little weather-beaten church don't drape properly; some of the songs that use the word "gay" induced laughter from the young parishioners last year so they should be dropped to maintain decorum; the choir doesn't seem to be singing the correct words to the hymns; and the candle lighting ceremony poses a safety problem. Liz Zazzi, comedienne par excellence, plays this curmudgeon with flair; her verbal sparring with the young pastor is especially droll.

Tilt pdt 2_k_fThen there's Freddy, effusive chair of the Welcoming Committee, wearer of what is possibly the ugliest holiday sweater ever knitted, who finds his foot firmly placed in his mouth at inopportune moments. Scot Cagney (far right) plays the oafish greeter with a sweet naiveté that is endearing albeit maddening, especially to newly pregnant Kathleen, who bemoans the state of her housekeeping and fears she will not be able to give her unborn child the wonderful Christmases her mother gave to her family year in and year out. Megan Greener's angst is palpable underneath a rather nasty disposition; when she delivers her character's final speech, Greener (above, left) gives us a glimpse of a rather desperate young woman on the verge of a life-changing event that truly terrifies her.

Kathleen's snarkiness is outdone by the tightly wound Sue, retail salesperson at the local Serviceline Store, who, fed up with the season's materialism, has just quit her job in a huff and walked to the church from the mall as distance away. Michelle Lupo plays this tightly coiled, rather unsympathetic young woman with and intensity that makes her reconciliation with her sister and their decision to go home to celebrate the holiday (sans gifts) not very convincing.

Kelley Evans portrays Sue's sister Trish, a stoner atheist, who delivers her lines in a staccato fashion. Joining her in smoking a joint is Joel, an adopted, black Jewish homosexual, who attends the service to hear his boyfriend sing in the choir. As written, this characters comes out of left field and other than his significant other, seems to have no connection with what's going on onstage. His riff on Hanukkah vs Christmas, while funny, sticks out like a sore thumb. Jerome R. Schuler Jr. delivers this oddball character's with glee, not all of it appropriate to what he is saying.

tilt pdt 1_b_tI have left the final two characters, (very) young pastor Brendan and the drunken Thad for last. The latter, played by Tim Artz (left), is present onstage for the entire play, regaining consciousness from time to time to utter nonsequiturs that stop the action in its tracks. It is his final speech that delivers the play's message, for he turns out not to be what he appears (no spoiler). Artz manages to sound drunk but dignified, so that his modus operandi ends up being rather lovely. But for me, the role of Brendan, played with wide-eyed optimism by a very young looking Tony Knotts (above, right), carries the play, managing to convey a goofiness and vulnerability at the same time. He's obviously bright (witness his verbal clashes with the very literal Ms. Martha), filled with hope, yet feeling a bit defensive when others compare him to his beloved predecessor Pastor Ron. His plucky desire to save this dying congregation is admirable.

Clawson has included some funny bits in his script. A tip-off was a garbled version of "Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer" that played before the action started. Was the singer drunk? It was a clue to those poorly sung hymns decried by Ms. Martha in the opening scene. While the answer sounds so off-kilter as to be unbelievable, it aroused some laughter in the mostly full audience.

Artem Yatsunov directs this zaniness firmly, keeping the action moving smoothly along on the stage of the little black box theater. Libby Stadstad's set design, Rachel Budin's lighting and Julian Evans' sound provide a solid backdrop to the goings on. Deborah Caney's costumes (especially the Serviceline uniform and Freddy's ugly sweater) add an authentic touch. Ms. Martha's red suit marks her as a force to be reckoned with.

Tilt the Unlit Candle refers to an admonition Freddy offers to Pastor Brandon—one which the latter ignores with near-disastrous consequences. The play is a valiant attempt at a holiday comedy, but the very broad comedy hits one squarely over the head, most of the characters are unsympathetic (until the end when...surprise!...all seem to be redeemed by the holiday spirit) and there is a severe lack of charm. Ben Clawson is an awesome playwright (The Dangers of Electric Lighting was masterful); perhaps he should stick to drama.

Tilt the Unlit Candle will be performed through December 21 at Luna Stage, 555 Valley Road, West Orange. For information and tickets, call 973.395.5551 or visit www.lunastage.org online.

Photos by Steven Lawler