The world premiere of Terrence Afer-Anderson's spiritual thriller, "Snake Eyes," unveils a taut, clean and concise drama that explores the very core of evil.
The play, which one hopes will have a life beyond its present debut at Norfolk's 40th Street Stage, reveals the local playwright's gift for dialogue.
The two-character drama centers on a serial killer called Lee Jean, sometimes known as The Tribesman, who has been convicted of murdering 21 people. He held one woman prisoner for 35 days before killing her. He carves tribal symbols into the skin of his victims. Outwardly, he is evil personified. No time is wasted with protestations of innocence - either by him or the psychiatrist who investigates him. We are present for what appears to be a routine psychological exam before his sentencing.
Audiences are held in thrall by the threatening killer and his multiple personalities - some good, some evil, all vulnerable. The play wavers, though, when it comes to plotting. The journey is more interesting than the destination. The conclusion, reaching for the requisite surprise ending, turns rather abruptly into the realm of spiritual conjecture and contrasts too starkly with the logical and realistic bent of the rest of the evening.
The author, who also plays the role, or roles, of Lee, has created an acting tour de force for himself as the murderer veers into varied characters that take over his conscious being.
Anxious for clues, the audience is terrified, even if just via description, of the pet snake that is used as a form of torture by Lee's fourth foster father. This provides the "Snake Eyes" of the title.
We also meet an invisible childhood friend, Buck, a redneck and a nerd. In all, eight alternative personalities are supposedly hidden in the psyche of the killer. They become dangerously close to "types" rather than developed beings, but, after all, they are only fleeting visitors.
As one of them points out, "Lee's the patient. I'm a fringe benefit."
Gabrielle, a particularly feminine female, surfaces, giving Afer-Anderson a chance for flamboyant playing.
After an intriguing Act I, Act II gets into trouble when it must go beyond scattershot exploration of the personalities. The problem of control surfaces. The possibility of a "puppetmaster" who is, perhaps, the controller comes forth, as the personalities point out that Lee is "a perfect place to hide." Is he Darth Vader? Is he Satan? Is he actually in control and, perhaps, the reason for the killings?
A church deacon also emerges. Clues are everywhere, and all are interesting.
The number 22 carries special threat for the audience. The number is planted everywhere, but there have been only 21 murders. Is another inevitable? We are persuaded to stay on guard.
The role of the psychiatrist is played with an air of quietly aggressive curiosity by Rodney Suitor, who also directs. The script gives him direct, pointed inquiries that often are exactly what we would ask in the same situation. Suitor and Afer-Anderson have a fine-tuned match of thrust and counter-thurst as they attempt to get to the psychological center.
The cast is completed by Mark Rawlison as the prison guard with the deep voice, adding to the sparse set's illusion of crushing isolation.
The use of multiple-personality disorder as a dramatic device is not original. Joanne Woodward won an Academy Award for playing a real-life Richmond woman with such a disorder in "The Three Faces of Eve" in 1957, and Sally Field won an Emmy for portraying a woman with 16 such personalities in "Sybil" in 1976. Here we are concerned with a more modern variation called dissociative identity disorder. The new script does more with the theme of good vs. evil than did the earlier versions.
"Snake Eyes" is a theater adventure that provides an intriguing evening. It does, though, have its own affliction of multiple personality. It is better as a psychological drama than as a spiritual one.
Mal Vincent, (757) 446-2347, mal.vincent@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
