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Regional Reviews: St. Louis The Hairy Ape Also see Richard's reviews of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and A Midsummer Night's Dream
Beyond the writing, the credit goes to Christopher Harris as Yank, a ship's stoker, and also to Upstream Theatre for its grasp of something as thin as the air, the atmosphere itself, that gives this play its gathering power. Harris is brutish and brash, in a way that's almost childish in spite of his great size, and is easily inspired by rabble-rousers. And if you saw him in the title role of the great Helver's Night in 2009, this might set off some alarm bells: it's a very similar role for the same actor, at least on paper. But it all works out pretty differently this time, on a more poetic level. And when a member of the highest social circle happens to cross his path, Yank is drawn out of the bowels of a steamship, ready or not. His fellow actors are all very strong around him, especially Bill Grivna as an old Irishman in the first act. If I told you he drinks and sings and takes time off while the others work, you'd think it was just an obnoxious stereotype. But somehow Mr. Grivna blooms on stage with a great literary dimension to a very natural performance. The others develop powerfully in the following scenes: Tim Schall as three vastly different characters, including a union leader who's wary of the outside world; Michelle Burdette Elmore as a cigar-chomping wise gal in the union meeting (after a turn as a haughty chaperone on the steamship); and Maggie Conroy as the steel heiress who has very firm plans to change the world. Then there's John Bratkowski—I literally did double-takes on two of his entrances, he had (through very simple means) so completely changed from scene to scene. Patrick Siler seems easily cowed at first, as a ship's officer dealing with aristocrats on board. But then you see him later on as a no-nonsense New York cop and realize how easily a terrific actor can change his own inner force and center of gravity. Off-stage, Siler provides subtle percussion to suggest the steam engines and the blood, pounding in Yank's temples as the show takes us on an unexpected voyage. Director Philip Boehm uses such simple background music in a lot of his shows, and he really has a finely tuned ear for it. It all comes back to Yank, though, and Mr. Harris' overwhelming portrayal, and the questions O'Neill raises about manhood, and how the industrial revolution has turned us into interchangeable parts. We get a clue as to what's been lost in a beautiful little monologue by Paddy (Mr. Grivna) in the engine room, talking about the days before steamships, travelling on the ocean currents and the wind. But it's a terrible thing when you still manage to be content with your lot (like Yank) and the modern world comes looking for you. Through October 21, 2012, at the Kranzberg Center, 501 Olive (at Grand) St. Louis, MO 63103 (about a mile north of I-64 on Grand). For more information visit www.upstreamtheatre.org or call (314) 863-4999. Cast Crew: Director: Philip Boehm * Denotes member, Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the US.
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