Like any magic trick you witness you are misled. You are made to believe in the impossible since you see it with your own eyes. And in the end you are amazed and delightfully surprised. And that is exactly what happens after watching “Orange Lemon Egg Canary”.
“Orange Lemon Egg Canary” may sound like the newest smoothie flavor at Jamba Juice, but it is actually a well-crafted play currently playing at The Easter Theatre at The Complex in Hollywood. Written by Rinne Groff and directed by Talya Klein, this play weaves a tale of vengeance, love, and redemption while incorporating the use of magic tricks.
While a show using magic tricks may seem like a train-wreck waiting to happen, the creative teams has made a thought-provoking and entertaining show. It combines elements of drama and mystery in an engaging way and like any magic trick, there are moments of distraction where the story takes a few interesting turns to keep the audience enthralled. What may initially seem like a simple love story turns into something more sinister.
At the onset of the play you already hear yourself thinking, “What the heck is going on here?” The small confining theater is a bit uncomfortable, made all the more so when one of the actors quietly walks out, sits on the edge of the stage and asks audience members if he can have a drink with them. He goes around and performs card tricks for people sitting in their seats and it is unclear whether the show is really starting or not. It is effective in its simplicity in warming up the audience but piques interest by making one wonder exactly what they are in for.
We learn that the young man is Great (Brett Schneider), a magician struggling with intimacy and his own sobriety. Schneider, in his Los Angeles theatrical debut, plays his role with a maturity that belies his boyish good looks. He skillfully conveys his characters anguish as he comes to term with his checkered past.
Elizabeth V. Newman plays Trilby, the latest victim to be caught up in Great’s troubled life. Like anyone she yearns to be more than she is and in her desperation sees her new magician lover as a way to learn to be a part of something bigger than herself. Her need to learn magic and doing it for love soon outweighs her real purpose for entering Great’s life.
Ann Moller as Henrietta provides a bit of comic relief as the “Greek chorus” of the show. There but not there, Henrietta serves as the ghost-like narrator addressing the audience with wit and humor. Her role becomes more important to the story as the story unfolds and she becomes integral to the plot.
The strongest performance comes from Martina Lotun as Egypt/China. Her performance as Great’s jilted ex-lover and ex-assistant is the most believable and natural in its delivery. She serves as the main antagonist in the play as she seeks revenge against Great.
“Orange Lemon Egg Canary” is a play that combines intrigue and imagination. While one of the “twists” in the play feels a little cliché it is not a gratuitous or overdone plot device in terms of this show. If the drama isn’t to your liking then there are always the magical illusions to keep you in your seat, amazed and delightfully surprised.
ORANGE LEMON EGG CANARY, A Trick In Four Acts. Written by Rinne Groff and directed by Talya Klein. The East Theatre Of The Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Blvd. (between Wilcox Ave and Cole Ave) Hollywood, Ca 90038. Thursday thru Saturday, February 28-April 5, 2008 at 8 pm. Tickets $25 online at www.plays411.com/orane or by calling the box office at 323-960-7862.
