Bruce Walsh's Whiskey Neat Premieres at Azuka Theatre
The Philly playwright offers a nonsensical look at the American workplace.
Azuka Theatre’s world premiere of Philly playwright Bruce Walsh’s Whisky Neat marks another strong production from the company’s gifted producing artistic director Kevin Glaccum. Unfortunately that success is not duplicated in Walsh’s hollow script. The play’s protagonist is a self-described “professional philosopher” named Handsome (a charming Luigi Sottile) who finds work as a parking valet at a ritzy club. The crew that works there is the usual assortment of misfits. There is the asshole boss Tommy (vividly portrayed by Nathan Emmons) and his rich grad student girlfriend Alex (Elena Bossler), the club-footed cook Terry (the reliable Keith J. Conallen), and an insecure young gay boy named Tim (newcomer Brian Cowden in startling performance).
It’s an interesting group, however just as we are becoming involved in the characters (especially the relationship between the charismatic Handsome and painfully shy Tim) the play falls apart. Instead of an involving character study Neat ends up being little more than an obscenely cruel and ultimately nonsensical look at life in the American workplace.
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1. Brian Crowden said... on Apr 15, 2009 at 08:38AM
““Thanks for reviewing the show, I just wanted to correct my name again. Brian Crowden, not Cowden. Thanks””
2. aja said... on Apr 16, 2009 at 09:53AM
“'obscenely cruel' is exactly right.”
3. aja said... on Apr 16, 2009 at 09:55AM
“'obscenely cruel' is exactly right.”
4. marianne said... on Apr 19, 2009 at 01:04PM
“Whisky Neat - the Cast
Nathan Emmons (Tommy), Elena Bossler (Alex), Keith Conallen (Terry),
Brian COWDEN (Tim) and Luigi Sottile (Handsome) ... It's only fair that the actors get reviewed under their correct names. They worked hard and did a great job.”
5. marianne said... on Apr 19, 2009 at 01:04PM
“Whisky Neat - the Cast
Nathan Emmons (Tommy), Elena Bossler (Alex), Keith Conallen (Terry),
Brian COWDEN (Tim) and Luigi Sottile (Handsome) ... It's only fair that the actors get reviewed under their correct names. They worked hard and did a great job.”
6. playhag said... on Apr 20, 2009 at 11:23AM
“hmmm- now this is confusing- because 'Crowden' says 'Crowden' but 'Marianne' says 'Cowden'. and they from the sound of it- they must be amazing actors to perform such a poorly written play”
7. Gonzo said... on Apr 22, 2009 at 04:59PM
“I want to express an emphatic dissent from the above review of Walsh's script. For sure, his is not a play that follows a traditional story arc, even if its structure leads you believe, initially, that it will. Yes, you are left feeling somewhat disillusioned, probably saddened, possibly confused by its stark and abrupt final moments. This is a noir that takes a turn for the surreal. But it is a surreality come by honestly. There is nothing that feels tacked on or ingratiating about its flourishes, nothing that feels improbable about the violence of its characters that bubbles to the surface. Ultimately, this is a play about the downtrodden and ugly who band together against uppity interlopers who think they're better because they're beautiful. Tell me that's not a story that Philadelphians can relate to.
I think there is a shocking unwillingness amongst Philly critics in particular to tolerate adventure and experimentation from local playwrights without a presupposed pedigree. What if RHINOCEROUS or THE CHAIRS had been written by some 30 year old in Kenzo? What about BURIED CHILD? What about THE HOMECOMING? Without the pre-approved stamp of genius, I'm sure these works would generate the same complaints of "hollowness" that WHISKY NEAT endures here.
I'm not (necessarily) arguing that WHISKY NEAT is a classic on par with Shepard's best; I'm just saying that we ignore unique voices at our peril.”
8. Gonzo said... on Apr 22, 2009 at 05:01PM
“P.S. Since we're on about spelling, it's "WHISKY" no "e" in the title.”
9. Larty said... on Apr 26, 2009 at 02:34PM
“I thought it was great. I'm glad I didn't read this before I bought tickets. I feel bad for those who didn't go becuase if the poor review. They missed out.”