Shem Bitterman’s “The Civil Twilight,” directed by Ann Hearn Tobolowsky and having its world premiere at the Broadwater Studio Theatre, promises to be a “twisty thriller” – a story about a famous radio host stranded in a motel room, alone, with his biggest fan.
Immediately, the plot is reminiscent of Stephen King’s Misery, in which a famous novelist is saved from a car crash in a snowstorm before finding himself stranded in the home of an obsessed fan. While King’s novel has a clear villain, Bitterman’s stage play is more ambiguous from the start.
Radio host John Pine (Andrew Elvis Miller) finds himself getting to know his roommate for the night, salt-of-the-earth Midwesterner Ann Carlson (Taylor Gilbert). Both take turns making the audience uneasy. As more is revealed about each character, you can’t know whom to trust.
While 90 minutes of dialogue between two actors is an admirable feat, a recent Sunday matinee performance struggled to impress. Miller and Gilbert had moments of brilliance, but long pauses suggested they were either waiting for cues or trying to remember their lines.
Performances aside, the story itself is certainly unpredictable, but it would be generous to call it “twisty” or thrilling. While John Pine is ostensibly the caring and thoughtful host of a radio show called “Lonesome Voice of the Prairie,” his turn away from that persona comes too early and feels unearned.
Similarly, Ann Carlson’s character is confusing: first she is earnest and wholesome, then suddenly conniving. What feels like an attempt to make the characters complex or dynamic is instead convoluted and incohesive. Even if the performances were on point, the characters aren’t developed enough to make the conclusion interesting.
What does work is production design by Joel Daavid and sound design by Chris Moscatiello. The set is simple yet convincing as a rundown Western-themed motel: two beds, a small dresser and a table with an overhead lamp set right up against the edge of the stage. Daavid takes advantage of every inch of the venue to make for an immersive theatrical experience. Adding to this is clever sound and lighting, giving the impression of rain, thunder and lightning raging outside the motel.
On another night, the performances may be stronger and the twists and turns in the story will land more effectively. In the end, the show is provocative and at times entertaining, although perhaps not for the reasons the playwright intended.
“The Civil Twilight” has been extended through Jan. 26 at the Broadwater Studio Theater, 1076 Lillian Way, Los Angeles, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Tickets range from $20 to $45 and can be purchased by visiting theciviltwilight.ludus.com. Run time is 90 minutes without intermission.
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