Little Misnomer
Theres a school of acting thats come into vogue lately, one were increasingly, if unwittingly, familiar with. We see it on stage, in film, on TV. Lets call it hyperrealism: acting that mimics how people really walk, talk, speak, think, act, feel and even breathe. Its done so well that its power to engross is virtually nuclear-tipped. No point in assessing the antecedents of this style; simply put, its why reality TV is hot.
Its also why the acting in Stephen Belbers A Small, Melodramatic Story, presented by Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Ortizs LAByrinth Theater Company and directed by Lucie Tiberghien at the Public Theater, is so arresting. The story (which is neither small nor melodramatic) is narrated by O, a young widow played by Quincy Tyler Bernstine with the matter-of-factness of an unflappable network anchor. This is a typical quality in Belbers rapidly growing canon of plays: He was one of the original actor-writers on The Laramie Project and other docudrama endeavors, and its one of the hidden strengths in his writing.
Six years ago, Os husband Burt, a veteran of the first Gulf War, died. Ever since then, O has hung out with Keith (Lee Sellars), Burts old buddy. A government sleuth of sorts (the play occurs in D.C.), Keith not only pesters O for permission to dig into what triggered Burts death but repeatedly makes clear hes in love with her, a passion she leaves quietly unrequited. Beyond his patience and persistence, Keiths mistake is letting O meet Perry (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), a middle-aged cop with aspirations to sing professionally. In a shot, a rivalry for Os love develops. Also in a shotthree shots, actually, 15 years earlierPerry killed a suspected teenage drug dealer.
If there were a connection for O between Burts death and Perrys long-ago killing of the teen, maybe her reaction would be more understandable. As it is, theres no reason for her to search out Cleo (a closed-eyed, stoned-looking Carlo Alban), the younger brother of the dead dealer, who was nine when he witnessed his brothers death. Realistically, either she likes Perry and accepts his claim that he was exonerated or not. Realistically, shed never pose as a journalist just to get Cleos side of the story, an action that rekindles Cleos thirst for revenge.
The problem with hyperrealistic acting is that you need a plot that seems plausible in the extreme; not much in Belbers play meets that standard. Realistically, Keith might not have waited so long for O; his reasons remain unexplored, unexplained. Realistically, O needs sufficient reasonssay, an inner demon to exorcisefor why she must dig into Perrys past, especially since, in the timeline of the play, shes only known Perry for a month.
Many momentsincluding Tiberghiens choice to leave characters standing, sitting or staring into space after their scenesprove galvanizing in their intensity. But again, this is the actors work, this raising of treasures from a vessel of dubious seaworthiness from under the surface of the stage.
Through Nov. 5. Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St. (near Cooper Sq.), 212-967-7555; $45.