Review: An Exceptional Ensemble Brings THE NIGHT ALIVE at Round House Theatre

Tommy is a perpetually down-on-his-luck, 50-something Irishman, who rents a squalid room in his drunkard uncle Maurice's Dublin home. Estranged from his wife and children, he spends his days scraping by with Doc, his quirky best friend, occasional roommate, and fellow business schemer. One night he finds himself turned into a knight in not-so-shining armor when he rescues a prostitute damsel named Aimee after she is beaten on the street. The four misfits settle into a dysfunctional state of co-habitation and co-dependency until Aimee's abusive ex Kenneth tracks her down to begin the group's inevitable--yet miraculously uplifting--downfall.

Renowned playwright Conor McPherson's examination of these troubled characters and their relationship to one another highlights the ways in which--even in life's darkest moments--redemption and purpose can be found through simple acts of care giving. It is the moments of kindness that Tommy provides to those around him that provide relief from the bleakness of their circumstances and ultimately allow him to find his own happiness.

Round House Theatre's regional premiere of McPherson's THE NIGHT ALIVE reminds its audience that exceptional theater is indeed alive--and thriving--in the nation's capital. Round House's Producing Artistic Director, Ryan Rilette, deftly leads his impressive ensemble through McPherson's darkly beautiful, character-driven script with grace and subtlety. While his pacing can, at times, be frustratingly slow, Rilette exploits every strength his cast gives him to lure his audience through what McPherson calls "a supernatural play with no ghosts." We are further lulled into this world by the uber-realistic set design by Meghan Raham and beautiful lighting designed by Colin K. Bills.

Round House bills itself as "a home for outstanding ensemble acting," and THE NIGHT ALIVE cast lives up to the hype. DC legend Edward Gero's lead performance as Tommy is as multidimensional as it is heartbreaking, and is well worth the ticket price in and of itself. Joseph Carlson's devilishly demented Kenneth, Katie deBuys's defeated Aimee, and Michael Tolaydo's grumpy Maurice each help paint a picture both bleak and beautiful. But it's Gregory Linington's charming and compelling portrayal of childlike Doc that is the surprise breakaway performance of the show. It's nearly impossible to take your eyes off of him as he plays quietly into the quirks of what could have easily become an outsized character in an otherwise too realistic world.

THE NIGHT ALIVE will keep you up chatting about these characters, and what awaits them, long into the night.

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THE NIGHT ALIVE plays through November 13 at the Round House Theatre (4545 East-West Highway Bethesda, Maryland). The production runs approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes minutes with no intermission. Tickets are available at www.roundhousetheatre.org

Pictured (left to right): Katie deBuys as Aimee, Edward Gero as Tommy, and Gregory Linington as Doc.
Photo Credit: Round House Theatre

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