BWW Reviews: St. Louis Actors' Studio's Darkly Comic PTERODACTYLS

Nicky Silver's Pterodactyls is a pitch black comedy with a number of peculiar twists and turns. Like his play, The Lyons, the focus is on a highly dysfunctional family that's fraying around The Edges. The St. Louis Actors' Studio has put together an engaging presentation that's both shocking and amusing in equal measure.

As the play begins the mentally rattled daughter, Emma Duncan, announces that she's getting married to Tommy McKorckle, an orphan that she's fallen for, despite the fact they've only known each other three weeks. Arriving soon after is her artist brother Todd, who announces that he has AIDS and has come home to live. His mother, Grace, is stunned by the news, but bides her time with drink and by throwing herself into her daughter's wedding plans. Patriarch Arthur, is aghast at both situations, and seems to be sliding into his own mental abyss.

Nathan Bush does effective work as Todd, immersing himself in a new sculpture once he discovers a set of dinosaur bones in the yard. James Slover garners laughs as Tommy, taking up Grace's offer of employment as the maid of the manor. Slover is quite a sight in skirt and heels, and the fact that he feels oddly comfortable in that outfit hints at his latent homosexuality. Penny Kols chews the scenery with aplomb as the inebriated matriarch Grace. Whit Reichert, solid as always, does a nice job as the addled Arthur, and Betsy Bowman is a moody mess as daughter Emma.

Milton Zoth's direction walks a fine line between humor and tragedy, playing absolutely true to Silver's play. Patrick Huber's scenic design and lighting are both nicely rendered, and Teresa Doggett's costumes are good character fits.

If you like your humor on the dark side, then you should definitely check out the St. Louis Actors' Studio's production of Pterodactyls. It continues through November 24, 2013 at the Gaslight Theater.

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