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Playwright David Mamet's mastery of comedy, however shoddily displayed in Broadway's current offering of November, stands strong at the Kirk Douglas Theatre with the world premiere of his one-act period laugher Keep Your Pantheon. Coupled with Mamet's youthful foray into the contemplation of life, in The Duck Variations, two distinct aspects of the always-intriguing scribe are perfectly realized under the direction of Neil Pepe.
Both one acters, billed as Two Unrelated Plays, center on men and their bonds, however cantankerous, just as many of Mamet's works. The urge for an alpha male to one-up his friendly counterpart loosely ties the subtle Duck Variations and raucous Pantheon.Most refreshing is the new Pantheon, as it captures the essence of frivolous humor with strong Mamet flair, lending to plenty of frothy laughs accented with the art of slapstick and absurdity, as three Roman-era thespians stumble towards a potentially grisly fate, nearly dying for their craft.Ed O'Neill, of TV's "Married with Children" fame, plays a flamboyant Strabo, scheming to keep a seemingly talent-less acting troupe together, despite being unable to pay the rent or secure an actual gig. To fill his time, Strabo finds lecherous pleasure in pursuing the affection of his strapping young male apprentice Philius, played with dim-witted joviality by Michael Cassidy, who appears in barely a toga and often dripping wet throughout the performance.
The requisite naysayer of optimism is the third member of Strabo's group, Pelargon, the always wry and amusing David Paymer, who unlike his role in Mamet's film "State and Main," here is without he ability to persuade anyone. Strabo is dead set on obtaining critical acclaim, and through many misguided plans lands the trio in prison with an execution looming at the hands of Cesar.Takeshi Kata's rustic minimalism in the set design scores the right mood for the comedic Pantheon, as does Lona Somogyi's brightly colored ragged Roman costumes. With its top-notch cast, Pantheon fits nicely into one act, deserving of its numerous laughs, especially when following on the heels of the much more introspective Duck Variations. While Strabo literally upstages his apparent friend Pelargon, in the earlier Mamet work two older gentlemen battle for focus through musings on life and the environment, all through the rationalization of ducks.
Michael Lerner, as George, and Harold Gould, as Emil, find bickering fluidity together on a Chicago park bench, contemplating the cycle of life through the observations of nearby ducks, offering insightfully amusing quips as each tries to outdo the other. If only Animal Planet documentaries could have Mamet on staff to craft such satisfying dialogue.This 1972 talker remains relevant today, not only in its occasional environmental angle, but also for the simplicity of its premise and engaging conversation between two aged men, full of life's lessons and plenty of time on their hands to dispel such knowledge through moments of clarity. It provides an opportunity to eavesdrop on two experienced souls talking up variations on life, death and human connections, all through the filter of a twentysomething Mamet's mind.For those wishing to experience Mamet at two ends of his career, there is no better way than to view one of his earliest shorts nestled with his latest creation, both standing steady on their own, yet oddly coupled perfectly together in Two Unrelated Plays. The Duck Variations and Keep Your Pantheon, in Two Unrelated Plays by David Mamet, play at the Kirk Douglas Theatre through June 8, 2008. For more information, visit www.centertheatregroup.org. The Kirk Douglas Theatre is located at 9820 Washington Boulevard in Culver City. And for more from James Sims visit www.simsscoop.com. Photos by Craig Schwartz. (1) Ed O'Neill, David Paymer and Michael Cassidy (2) Michael Lerner and Harold Gould.
