BWW Reviews: New Don Juan Play @ Missing Piece Theatre

The Spanish verb dispensar means to absolve or pardon; dispenso means I absolve or I pardon. It may be that Tony Tanner's slant on the Don Juan legend is just that: he forgives the man for living his life the way he did, and for that reason chose the name Dispenso for his character. Maybe. Don Juan Dispenso is a contemporary look at the myth, in which Dispenso makes his way across Europe in the 20s and 30s bedding a variety of women who remained nothing more than conquests to him. In his mind, if he fell in love, he lost control. And he refused to lose control.

This is an intriguing script, laced with black humor sort of like The Adventures of Tom Jones. Even when Don Juan seduces a young teen and rapes her, the result is far from tragic. She eventually becomes a scholarly feminist, releasing herself permanently from any macho upper hand. Costanza, another young woman, who has loved Don Juan the most, eventually turns her affections to another woman, a professor also selfishly bedded in the past by Don Juan. Juan goes to prison at one point for brutally beating a prostitute and finds himself victimized within the prison walls by a male prisoner, forced to endure painful sexual intercourse. Does it really prove a punishment for him, an eye for an eye? Even at this reverse of the coin he struggles against showing very much emotional distress. In all of these happenings there lurks a dark humor, but somehow, with the exception of emanating a chuckle or two, it does not play within Tanner's directorial structure. He has chosen to guide the play in a straightforward manner instead of in a bolder comedic style. Don Juan is a myth and not reality. A bolder more over-the-top approach might make the piece soar.

The acting from the females in the ensemble is uniformly excellent. Sarah Casolaro (Nancy), Gina Manziello (Constanza), Suzanne Hunt (La Contessa), Julie Evans (Dona Ana), Susan Hanfield (Magda), Debra Harner (Mrs. Whitehead) and Anita Adcock (Vera Cruz) all turn in great work, with a solid delineation of each character.

The males in the cast are not evenly on a par with the women. Ahmad Enani as Don Juan is handsome and gives a fine performance, especially in his struggles against losing control, but somehow comes off too ordinary, a sort of boy next door. Don Juan needs more bravado, more sensuality. Kevin Scott Allen is totally miscast as the valet Sam. This character serves as the only link between the action onstage and the audience; he should have personality, more impish charm, more of a sense of humor. Allen's performance is sincere but listless. Jan Johnson fares better as Max but is also too lackluster in style. Scott Ryden is the only actor whose lighter touch with his character Mr. Whitehead suits the action admirably.

Don Juan Dispenso proves Tony Tanner to be a savvy writer, but perhaps he should have left the direction to someone with a keener eye to comedic flair.

RECOMMENDED for its script and for most of the beguiling ensemble. It's worth a peek.

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