BWW Reviews: Lots Happening in Central Square Theater's DISTRACTED

I do not have kids. And after the Central Square Theater's production of Distracted, I'm not sure I want them. Not because of the children themselves (though there was quite a bit of yelling), but because of how complicated raising a child now seems to be with the constant presence of technology, the media, new learning disabilities and disorders, and the fact that everyone is always on the move. Everything is much more complicated, and pure familial values are not always easy to find anymore. This production made note of this, commenting on an overwhelming amount of these issues, which I believe was the point, and bringing into question how to raise a child with all of these 21st century complications.

The show follows Mama, a young mother struggling to deal with her overactive and difficult son, combating recommendations of various psychiatrists, psychologists, drugs, and diets. The piece shows how constant movement and distraction puts pressure on her relationship with her husband (Dad), her friends, her son, her job, and even her perception of herself.

Other than my frustration with the two main characters being the only ones with titles instead of names (why give the next door neighbor a real name but not our leading lady?), I cannot find fault with the performances given. This was a stellar and versatile cast; the smallest parts providing some of the most powerful punches. Stacy Fischer, who played Mama, was funny and honest, which made her incredibly likable. Nael Nacer played Dad, who I did not like (as a character. I've seen Nacer perform before and quite enjoy him), until the audience finally saw his hardened, angry shell deteriorate beautifully in Act II. And the entire ensemble was brilliant, filled with scene stealers like Kerry A. Dowling, Debra Wise, and Steven Barkhimer, among others. It was a very solid cast of actors.

The scenic design was brilliant, with three levels of play space that could so adaptably be utilized for all locations. The action, too, was so well choreographed that every tiny prop was always in the exact drawer or cabinet it was supposed to be. The show had a video element as well, with television screens that matched each location and changed with the swish of a character's hand. The technological elements of this show were of such a high caliber that everything seemed effortless.

The piece had a meta-theatrical aspect to it, with the main character interacting directly to the audience. I thought that in the first act, where she was explaining things to us or letting us in on secrets, it was utilized brilliantly. In fact, at intermission, I believed that to be one of my favorite features of the show. However, in the second act, it deviated a bit, and suddenly other characters could see the audience too, and some even "broke character" and acknowledged the fact that they were actors in a play. I have no problem with this meta style of theatre, as long as it is consistent. In my opinion, for this production, Mama's interaction with us was fine, but the actors whipping out scrips on stage crossed the line.

Additionally, the show does not bring the son onto the stage until the very end, instead only using his voice. It made for a really touching and powerful ending; however, I lacked any connection to the character until then. Since the audience only heard the voice of a child swearing at his mother and disobeying his parents, I was distanced from him, and had a hard time rooting for him. As I have mentioned, I do not have children, so perhaps I have an outsider's opinion. But without really seeing and getting to know the child, I didn't so much agree with the mother's declaration of, "he is the most interesting person in the world", and thought instead, "this kid treats his parents horribly".

Despite my nitpickings, I really enjoyed this production because it made me think. This piece addresses something so relevant and so current, and it made me consider my own dependencies on technology and my ability to so easily be distracted. Even as I write this, on my laptop, I find myself constantly checking my phone and switching back and forth between Word, email, and Facebook. This production went further, not only commenting on technology, but talking about how it can affect one's psyche and whether all of these drugs and special diets would even be necessary if we all just took a breath. There are a lot of treatment methods discussed in this show and no answers handed to the audience. In fact, I left not exactly knowing what message I was supposed to have taken away. But I left thinking. And that's what was important.

Written by Lisa Loomer; Directed by Wesley Savick; Scenic and Video Design by Sara Brown; Costume Design by Gail Astrid Buckley; Lighting and Video Design by Bozkurt Karasu; Sound Design by David Remedios; Properties Design by Joe Stallone; Stage Managed by Dominique D. Burford; Assistant Stage Managed by Anthony Schiavo

CAST (in alphabetical order): Brandon Barbosa, Steven Barkhimer, Kerry A. Dowling, Michelle Dowd, Katie Elinoff, Stacy Fischer, Nael Nacer, April Pressel, Alec Shiman, and Debra Wise.

The Central Square Theater's production of Distracted runs through June 2 in Cambridge. For more information, visit their website centralsquaretheater.org.

PHOTO SOURCE: centralsquaretheatre.org

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