Theater Reviews

Oct 10, 2008 - For a gloomy look at the future of humanity see Nevada Rep's "This Is Our Youth"

By Jack Neal

Matt Damon and Mark Ruffalo are two American movie stars who have performed on stage in Kenneth Lonergan’s play, “This Is Our Youth.” To be sure, the play is a tour de force for actors. But unless a production is very adroitly crafted, it’s onslaught of angst and vulgar dialogue is mostly a downer for audiences.

“This Is Our Youth” is a sordid play about post-adolescents who turn youthful travails into a barrage of words that blur the senses. As it’s currently presented by the Nevada Repertory Company, Lonergan’s devastating portrait of New York Upper West Side rich kids and their amoral, self-abusive lives does not add up to the kind of bonding between audience and players that makes for emotionally involving theater.

The year is 1982, the place is the New York studio apartment of Dennis Ziegler (James Schlauch), a twenty-something young man thrown out of the house by a father who pays his rent just to get rid of him. Dennis is immature, a mess, and a manic hypocrite given to bouts of shouting on and off the phone. Enter misguided Warren (Ryan Berrigan), Dennis’s buddy and follower and a youngster trapped somewhere between self-destruction and fear of leaving childhood. Warren has left home with a stash of his father’s money and a suitcase filled with vintage toys.

When Jessica (Hilary Bernius), an attractive mixed-up preppy, shows up for a date, Warren pulls out a roll of bills and takes her off for a night of expensive seduction. How Warren will turn out - will he follow Dennis into the depths or make his way out - is the preoccupation of the play? With an urban tribe whose habits revolve around drug dealing, scamming parents and creating dysfunctional friendships, the play has lots of preoccupations.

The relationship between Warren and Jessica establishes the play’s tender side, and none too soon. When she enters, Bernius is a refreshing change of pace and brings chutzpah and a brash kind of empathy to Jessica that plays well. Schlauch and Berrigan bring an awkward, but natural grace to their scenes together. Both are excellent, commanding even, and exciting newcomers on the Nevada Rep scene.

Director Robert Gander’s pairing of “This Is Our Youth” and “Juvenilia” (the plays alternate evenings) for an exploration of youth culture is a provocative new approach for the Nevada Repertory Company. The results are interesting, if not as rewarding as one would hope. Gander’s pacing is quick and he draws exceptional characterizations from his actors. Making it possible for viewers to really care about what happens to those same characters is an unmet challenge.

Michael Fernbach’s set, with some minor set decoration changes, is the same as for “Juvenilia.” While not as messy as Dennis would keep his apartment, it works. Fernbach’s lighting is professionally brought off. Mary Katherine Orr’s costumes are suitable creations for the 1980s.

All told, “This Is Our Youth” is nicely managed. It is by turns terribly cruel and mildly compassionate, but never quite becomes the real real world we care about.

“This Is Our Youth” can be seen October 3, 7, 9 (the performance reviewed), and 11 at 7:30 p.m., and October 5 at 1:30 p.m. at the Redfield Studio Theatre, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada. For information call 775-784-4278.