Presence of God Controversy in Break of Noon @ the Geffen

The Break of Noon
by Neil LaBute
directed by Jo Bonney
Geffen Playhouse
through March 6

"Bullshit!" John Smith (Kevin Anderson) storms out of the TV studio.
"Not very Christlike!" responds TV talk show hostess Jenny (Tracy Chimo) in Neil LaBute's The Break of Noon now receiving its West coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse through March 6. LaBute is known for his abrasive, edgy, in-your-face material that is simultaneously irreverent and thought provoking. This West coast production under Jo Bonney's fine direction will have people facebooking and twittering
- or will it?

Most people today do not accept the presence of God; they do not understand that tragedy and goodness may come from the same source. "If God weren't dead, this would never have happened!" Catholics are taught early on that there is a reason for evil in God's plan. However, most, whether they come from a Catholic upbringing or are just plain agnostics, see such justification of shattering life incidents as useless chatter. When office worker John Smith, the sole survivor of a shootout, claims that the voice of God came to save him, hardly a living soul believes him. Take the lawyer, who views a photo of the killer Smith took strictly as a means to make millions or the hard-boiled police officer or Smith's impatient ex-wife. There are one or two who do believe but not without difficulty. Like the wife's cousin, Smith's mistress, who is less educated than her but more caring and the screwed-up needy girl/prostitute whose mother was a senseless victim of the shootout. It is hardly easy as well for the audience to buy into what Smith says, for as the plot unfolds, we see just how reckless and selfish a life he has led. Is he to be trusted? But, on the other hand, who can prove him wrong? He was the only witness to what really happened. By play's end, Smith confesses some facts heretofore undisclosed in the case. If he had initially confessed how poorly he and his fellow office workers had treated the killer on a daily basis, it would have made the killer's motives of revenge make sense and made Smith and the others look like scum. He lied to protect himself. Or maybe he was just too baffled and scared and his imagination ran wild. Or maybe the contact was real, and it took him time to go through the process of genuine transformation. In any case, because of the new revelations, his story of God now takes on a miraculous validity.

LaBute's taut script, Bonney's tight direction and outstanding acting from the ensemble keep audience riveted from start to finish. Anderson is direct and earnest at every turn, painting a complex portrait of Smith and creating a man of mystery.Catherine Dent is wonderful in the dual roles of ex-wife Ginger and mistress Jesse. Ginger is the typical distrusting mother who only sees Smith's faults and blames him for the collapse of their marriage, whereas Jesse sees the flaws and lovingly accepts them. Tracy Chimo also plays two roles. Like a firecracker, she explodes with honesty. Her TV host Jenny is the ultimate ballbuster, whereas Gigi, the prostitute, is ultra sensitive and insecure. A terrific performance! John Earl Jelks plays both typically crooked lawyer and tough, honest cop convincingly. All the actors are forced to move 360 degrees in portraying their diverse characters and execute the subtleties exceedingly well.

Getting back to my initial question. Will the play The Break of Noon make audiences talk and twitter? Perhaps not. Many will pooh pooh it due to its religious issue. They do not know how to deal with issues that are not black and white. And it is much easier to envision God selecting a saint rather than a sinner to deliver his divine message. John Smith seems insufficiently repentant, thereby not the ideal candidate. At any rate, LaBute is a vivid writer that makes you think, and for those that like to tinker with the mysteries of the grey zone, the play is pure gold.

 

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