{"id":1366,"date":"2012-04-23T18:15:36","date_gmt":"2012-04-24T01:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/libernetics.com\/?p=1366"},"modified":"2012-04-24T09:35:23","modified_gmt":"2012-04-24T16:35:23","slug":"big-idea-theater-killer-joe-notes-and-comments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/libernetics.com\/?p=1366","title":{"rendered":"Big Idea Theater: Killer Joe notes and comments"},"content":{"rendered":"

Big Idea Theater’s production of Tracy Lett’s “Killer Joe”<\/a>\u00a0is a rollar-coaster ride of a play. \u00a0It moves fast, the dialog is crisp, the story straightforward. \u00a0The plot is not complicated; it has a twist here and there, but it’s totally\u00a0accessible.<\/p>\n

The object of the play, one “Killer Joe” Cooper, a police detective and hitman, is played by Rick Elderedge, who does a marvelous job of taking on the affectations of a sophisticated Texan whose eccentricities include a pragmatic approach to both sides of the law, a soft spot for frail women, a droll sense of humor and the natural\u00a0instincts\u00a0of a predator. \u00a0He is dangerous.<\/p>\n

The rest of the cast — Justin Munoz as “Chris Smith”, Shannon Mahoney as ” “Sharla Smith”, Wade Lucas as “Ansel Smith”, and Kat Wolinski as “Dottie Smith” — are the perfect foil for the murderer. \u00a0They are more or less amoral, a bit\u00a0naive, and driven to venality by a perception of poverty. \u00a0What the Smith family lacks in sophistication they make up for with\u00a0desperation. \u00a0They are more or less dumb.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0exception is Dottie, who apparently suffered an injury as a child; she has her own unique kind of wisdom. \u00a0She is passive, but prescient. \u00a0She seems to know what’s going on in a much deeper way than the other characters. \u00a0She also demonstrates a level of resolve the others don’t have.<\/p>\n

“Killer Joe” can be thought of as what would happen if Hunter Thompson<\/a> had written “Arsenic\u00a0and Old Lace<\/a>.” \u00a0It has that exact kind of dark humor, but without the gentle\u00a0whimsy. \u00a0It’s very much not gentle.<\/p>\n

The play is\u00a0incredibly\u00a0fast paced, the dialog is delivered sharply and without hesitation. \u00a0100% in the moment. \u00a0And some of the moments are harsh; not simply murder, but a bit of sadism as well. \u00a0The\u00a0sexual\u00a0content is not an “overtone” or “implied”, it’s\u00a0explicit, starting with scene one. \u00a0To put this play on the stage required a huge level of\u00a0commitment\u00a0and discipline. \u00a0Everyone put on incredible performances.<\/p>\n

The story at its essence is that a family decides to murder a relative for insurance money, and they hire Killer Joe Cooper to do the job. \u00a0They\u00a0finesse\u00a0a deal with him, which includes Dottie as “retainer.” \u00a0She is “retained” by Killer Joe several times during the play. \u00a0The \u00a0sardonic humor of the dialog and Keystone Kops style action tends to blunt the disturbing overtones –up to a point. \u00a0Slapstick comedy can only befuddle the brain for so long.<\/p>\n

For me, the question is, “why did Letts write this play?” \u00a0And of course, why did Big Idea stage it? \u00a0It’s entertaining, particularly if you don’t like typical\u00a0romantic\u00a0comedies (if you liked “Natural Born Killers<\/a>” you’ll love Killer Joe) but it goes way beyond a line that only a few years ago would have landed the entire cast in jail.<\/p>\n

Breaking down social barriers is always tricky, and mostly\u00a0dangerous. \u00a0We see\u00a0nudity\u00a0in movies all the time. Why not plays? Well it’s a bit late now to argue against it, it’s been here and done that. \u00a0But before Killer Joe I hadn’t really thought about how I would react to it. \u00a0Well it’s bit like ice water down the back for a few seconds, but you get used to it.<\/p>\n

The bigger question is, why do the women in the play come under such duress? \u00a0The men, knuckleheads that they are, certainly could use a beating. \u00a0Which Justin Munoz actually gets — he is the best “beat up” guy you’ll ever find see on stage, a marvelous blend of pain, angst and humor. \u00a0And Wade Lucas gets tossed around too. \u00a0But the women, well they get punished.<\/p>\n

Killer Joe proves once again that Big Idea is an incredibly talented team. \u00a0Professional, as in these men and women could play on any venue; they are strong. \u00a0BIT proves community theater can deliver amazing productions. \u00a0And it proves that the larger questions of what kind of society we are is still open to speculation.<\/p>\n

Cheers.
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