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Regional Reviews: Los Angeles
But that's just the first play. The second play is what Deaf West has added to the production, by virtue of the fact that the cast is comprised of both deaf and hearing actors, and the show is performed in both spoken word and ASL. Standing alone, the story of Flowers for Algernon is solidly fiction—it was originally published in a science fiction magazine—because, let's face it, there is no operation that transforms the intellectually disabled into geniuses. But if you can watch Deaf West's Flowers for Algernon without thinking about cochlear implants, you're not paying attention. We are talking about an implanted medical device which stimulates the auditory nerve and, with therapy and education, can, to some degree, provide a sense of sound to some deaf individuals. The parallels are obvious. The play asks where medical science and Charlie's family get the right to decide whether he should undergo the procedure; the same question arises any time hearing parents of a deaf child decide the child should get a cochlear implant. And, when in flashback we see Charlie's mother exasperatedly shouting, "I just want him to be normal," it is crystal clear to everyone in the audience that there is a lot more at stake than Charlie's intellectual disability. The marriage of Flowers for Algernon with issues related to deafness is such an obvious one, it is frustrating that the production does not quite pull it off. In previous Deaf West productions, the pairing of signing actors with speaking actors (to achieve full portrayal of each character for the entire audience) has been creative or, at the very least, logical. Here, while the pairings may make sense in the abstract, they are executed confusingly. There are two doctors who control the experiment, Dr. Strauss, who signs, and Dr. Nemur, who speaks. It makes sense to pair the two, as they can interpret for each other. But they interpret for each other when they're having an argument. Bruce Katzman, as Dr. Nemur, speaks his lines and those of Dr. Strauss in one endless monologue; there is no demarcation of character. It is also unclear whether the character of Charlie is actually deaf. At one point, a younger version of Charlie appears and speaks the words Charlie is signing while, at the same time, another character is actually interpreting for Charlie. This leads one to conclude that Charlie is deaf, (and younger Charlie is simply a construct in Charlie's mind). But later elements of the play contradict this; when Charlie takes a date to a philharmonic concert, it suggests that Charlie is, in fact, hearing—either that, or this play simply takes place in a universe where "deaf" and "hearing" are irrelevant (but that, too, seems contradicted by moments in which some characters are clearly aware that they are signing). Despite this, there is much to recommend in the production. In addition to Durant's effective performance, Hillary Baack stands out as Charlie's teacher, and the object of his affection. Her Alice is sympathetic—she struggles with whether she did the right thing by recommending Charlie for the experiment—and Baack nicely executes Alice's transition from the position of Charlie's protector to someone genuinely attracted to him. Set designer Sarah Krainin's set, comprised of many movable screens, is both functional and suggestive of the lab-mouse mazes that play a key part in the story. (Props also to the adorable Cherry Snowdrop, making her stage debut in the role of the title mouse.) But mostly, in those few key moments when everything comes together in Flowers for Algernon, when it is talking about intellectual disability and also about deafness or homosexuality or anything that makes us different, when it talks of the procedure as a "cure" and invites us to consider whether the "cure" isn't more harmful than simple acceptance, Flowers for Algernon is painfully, beautifully, jaw-droppingly good. There is the potential here for the entire production to be at that level, but, right now, it's just a few moments. Flowers for Algernon runs at the Whitefire Theatre through November 3, 2012. For tickets and information, see www.deafwest.org. Deaf West Theatre —David J. Kurs, Artistic Director —presents Flowers for Algernon by David Rogers, based upon the novel by Daniel Keyes. Directed by Matthew McCray. Scenic Design Sarah Krainin; Lighting Design Jeremy Pivnick; Costume Design Gwyneth ConawayBennison; Sound Design Joseph "Sloe" Slawinski; Projection Design Adam Flemming; Props Master Katherine S. Hunt; Assistant Director/ASL Master Shoshannah Stern; Assistant ASL Master Amber Zion; Publicity Lucy Pollak; Production Stage Manager Tricia-Rae Armstrong; Technical Director Richard Dominguez; Produced by Laura Hill & DJ Kurs. Cast:
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