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Regional Reviews: New Jersey From Up Here Raises the Question: Why? Also see Bob's reviews of Guadalupe in the Guest Room and In the Car with Blossom and Len
The play is bookended with pedestrian "inspirational" monologues which have nothing to do with the situation at the heart of the play and the manner in which it is being handled. Each monologue is delivered by Aunt Caroline, a rootless career peace corps worker as she climbs an East Asian or African mountain (she seems to spend most of her time camping out with groups of mountain climbers). They reference how free and exhilarated she feels as she climbs and, even though she thinks that she will one day fall to her death, she will climb and, after she falls, climb and climb again. It is early morning in a midwestern suburban house. Seventeen-year-old Kenny has just returned to his home and today is going back to school. Kenny is likely heavily sedated (although at first, I thought that he was mentally impaired). I don't know where he has been (it could have been a correctional facility, but I would guess that it was a psychiatric facility). Apparently, Kenny threatened some kids in school with a gun. He didn't load the gun because he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to commit suicide afterward. He is not allowed to possess any object which might be employed as a weapon. Kenny is written as a good kid who is disturbed because he had been treated unjustly. Still, Kenny admits that he is still filled with hostility. He says that he feels this way because he had been bullied and nobody ever did anything to help him. All this information is frustratingly dribbled out throughout the first half of the play in small bits and pieces in the midst of various conversations. The play takes us through a few days to the climactic moment when Kenny stands at a microphone at a school-wide assembly to deliver the apology he is required to make to the school. The ridiculousness of this scenario is insulting. And to add injury to insult, this account is ended just before Kenny delivers his speech as the play segues to Aunt Caroline's blather. "Climb Every Mountain, Kenny." It would be more sensible than Flahive's scenario to conclude that, at the time Flahive concludes her narrative, it is most likely that Kenny is about to grab some concealed firearms and blow away his nemeses at the assembly. Meanwhile, there is much ado about any number of his largely unlikely family members, and fellow students. There is Kenny's 40-year-old or so working mom Grace, who gets herself arrested for disturbing the peace after going bonkers when she caught a gardener hiding behind her bushes taking a dump. And there is his stepfather Daniel, 30 years old and Grace's husband of one year, who has had some mall jobs, but appears to be now unemployed. After her arrest, Grace tells him that she will never have the child that he wants. He is a really nice, totally laid back sweetie who is happy to spend his life watching out for Grace's children even though they dislike him. At one point, romance seems to be brewing between Daniel and Aunt Caroline who are simpatico. Lauren, Daniel's 15-year-old sister who starts out as a hostile nasty piece of goods, turns sweet and is supportive of her brother. Seventeen-year-old Charlie is the boy whom Laurie comes to like when he treats her with affection after first telling her that two of his friends said that they had sex with her at a party and he wants in. Brilliant honor student Kate is assigned by the school to mentor Kenny, but betrays him by arranging to exploit him in an article for a local newspaper (no one suggests that publishing such an article would likely be as illegal as it is unethical). Michael Driscoll's casting and direction are of scant help. Some actors appear to be widely out of the age range of their characters. There is little in the way of modulated change as characters evolve. There are two strong performances here. Kelly Maizenaski exudes an easy natural charm which would make Aunt Catherine the winning symbol for accomplishment and freedom that Flahive would have her be if her character were not saddled with vapidity by the author. Beth Painter captures the weary decency of Grace whose continuing ability to take care of her family is in question. There are some likeable, relaxed performances here which might well have benefitted from a stronger directorial hand. And ... enough said. From Up Here, Liz Flahive's first play, was produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club in 2008 after it was developed at Ars Nova. Her second play, The Madrid, was produced by Manhattan Theatre Club in 2013. From Up Here continues performances (Evenings: Thursday - Saturday 8 pm) through March 14, 2015 at the Alliance Repertory at The Summit Playhouse, 10 New England Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901; Box Office:908-273-2192; online: www.alliancerep.org. From Up Here by Liz Flahive; directed by Michael Driscoll Cast:
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