REVIEW: SECRET ORDER Opens the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis's Studio Theatre Season for 2009-2010

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis begin their studio theatre season with a bang, presenting a provocative and timely work that illustrates the tenuous relationships forged between government, science, and the major pharmaceutical companies. A recent visit to the FDA website reveals that, nearly every day, a drug or product is recalled due to its posing a significant risk to the health of the general populace. Even with stringent safeguards in place data can be misinterpreted, or just plain "fudged", so it will better fit a particular case study. But, by the time these mistakes are discovered lives can be lost in the rush to manufacture solutions. Playwright Bob Clyman's oddly amusing play, Secret Order, follows a young research scientist who's working on a breakthrough in the fight against cancer, and the questionable choices he makes as he encounters issues with his cure.

William Shumway is a science teacher working at a small college in Illinois when he decides to try and publish a paper detailing an innovative way to deal with cancer cells. The research isn't anything new, but Shumway has found a correctable fault in the original details that he's interested in pursuing. Robert Brock, chief administrator of the Hill-Matthiesson Institute, finds the paper poorly written and derivative of previous research, but the cachet of a possible cure is too good to resist, so he hires Shumway to work on his theory at the institute. When Shumway has some initial success the cure is fast-tracked, and funds are funneled into his program, despite a lack of concrete evidence.

Todd Lawson is very good as Shumway, imbuing this Minnesota native with a keen sense of innocence that befits a good mid-western boy raised on religion. His boss Brock becomes a father figure to him as he takes the naïve scientist under his wing, and Lawson ably conveys his discomfort at having to let him down when he discovers problems with one of his test groups.

Richmond Hoxie is a master manipulator as Robert Brock, even able to convince himself of the merit in Shumway's fatally flawed work. Hoxie finds the humor in the script and mines it wonderfully, leading to a number of hard laughs at Shumway's expense. Hoxie lets us see how Brock ignores his own uncertainties when the promise of a Nobel Prize is within his reach.

Angela Lin imbues her undergraduate student Alice Curiton with a kind of grating enthusiasm. She's fairly hard to take at first as she bluffs her way into a position assisting Shumway, but she proves herself over the course of the play by coming up with a number of brilliant ideas that allow the research to move forward.

Stan Lachow does fine work as Saul Roth, a fellow scientist who sees his research funding dry up when Shumway becomes the flavor of the month. Lachow brings a sense of irony to his portrayal, and though he has every reason to seek vengeance for being shoved aside, he represents the only voice of reason among the players.

Director Risa Brainin has her actors focused and the pace chugging along quite nicely throughout. She's aided by Mark Wilson's simple and stark, but thoroughly changeable, scenic design and dramatic lighting. Wilson's backdrop resembles the walls of a prison cell, which is particularly interesting given the fact that the publication where Shumay's paper gets published is called "The Cell". Lou Bird's costumes are a good fit for each of the characters, and a scene that has Brock helping Shumay pick out and purchase a new suit for an important speech is hilarious.

Secret Order is brilliant and compelling material that's torn from today's headlines, and the Rep has put together a terrific cast and crew that bring this engaging story to life. And, though this controversial tale is mostly dramatic by nature, there's a surprising amount of humor to be found as well.

Secret Order continues through November 8, 2009 in the studio theatre of the Loretto-Hilton.

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