Review: DIRTY DEEDS DOWNEAST at Portland Stage

In his well-wrought new comedy/mystery/romance, homegrown playwright Brent Askari seeks to scratch the surface and look a little deeper into the soul of a seemingly placid island community off the coast of Maine.  Demons of blind ambition and corruption may indeed lurk among the locals’ hearts of gold.  But trying to figure out who is which nicely grabs and holds your attention as the laughs and loves soften the blows along the way.

Early scenes of Dirty Deeds Downeast establish that recent events around the island have raised suspicions in the mind of local cop Gerard, who must carry the weight of his own personal flaws into his investigation.  The citizenry questions his authority almost as much as he does his own capabilities.  And no one wants to say too much about what may turn out to have been a murder. 

The results for a Sunday matinee crowd were laughs (perhaps a few more integrating the play’s darker end would have been welcome) mixed with surprises in this Skip Greer directed production at Portland Stage.  Well-staged bits of physical comedy and unexpected violence draw the eyes.

With spirited restaurant worker Betty, played by Lori Prince, Patrick Noonan’s Gerard tentatively asserts authority only to be met with sarcasm sprinkled with just hints of sweetness.  Their big-lug-meets-feisty-young-woman scenes work well, adding warmth as the cop tries to come out of his funk,

Gerard’s loving mother, played by Brigitt Markusfeld in one of two roles, thinks he’s “weird” but wishes him well as she pursues romance with eccentric sleaze Louis, annoyingly embodied by Christopher Price, who will later add an even sharper edge to his character.

Gerard goes out to question a lobsterman, played by local favorite Dustin Tucker, who’s (hilariously) just a little too jumpy and given to affect a pirate character to avoid the policeman’s inquiries.   Later a businesswoman (Markusfeld) seems just a little too deflecting in her own answers.

With a sectional scenic design by Anita Stewart and lighting by Kendall Smith, the action shifts easily through (mostly) interiors that feel lived or worked-in and support Askari’s clever mix of the folksy and the feral in this entertaining play.

Photo of Lori Prince* & Patrick Noonan* (courtesy of Portland Stage) by Noli French - French’s Fotos Photography @frenchsfotos

*Actors Equity Association