Nightwood Theatre's 'Crave'

Crave offers a short (55 minute) fascinating concept: We meet four characters – named A, B, C and M (you see what I mean about the pretentiousness of the piece.) In a never-ending series of random disconnected sentences, Kane has created a symphony of words underscoring the basic human need for connection.

What starts out as a fascinating exercise that could well serve as a prologue to a more substantial piece, starts spinning its wheels making the same points repetitively. Kane was a promising young author who committed suicide not long after completing Crave. The piece certainly reveals the depth of her depression. But with so much agonizing on stage, there is little to sufficiently engage the emotions of the viewer.

What tips the balance here is the performances shaped by the cast and director Jennifer Tarver. In Particular Carlos Gonzalez-Vio and Maria Ricossa create some steamy sexual heat with their by-play and Hardee Lineham as the self-confessed pedophile manages to make even his difficult character believable. Best of all, Michelle Monteith offers a haunting look that viewers will likely not soon forget.

The brilliant set design by Teresa Przybylski keeps each character isolated in a small booths, accentuated by Kimberly Purtell's creative lighting design.

It's ironic that a play that spends its entire duration decrying the lack of connection in the modern world should be so cold and emotionally distant. In the end we sit back and admire the play more than we fall in love with it. And maybe that was Sarah Kane's point.

Crave is presented by Nightwood Theatre at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts Mondays thru Saturdays at 8 PM with a 2 PM matinee on Saturdays. Performances continue until May 19. For tickets or more information go to www.www.nightwoodtheatre.net or call the Young Centre box office at 416-866-8666.