by Ernest Kearney — Forgiveness is a bitch.
Whether it’s forgiving ourselves, our family, our spouses, fate, God or the cut of the cards, forgiveness is just a bitch.
This seems to be the theme of Christian Durso’s Redline now playing in rep with Sinner’s Laundry as part of the IAMA Theatre Company’s celebration of their tenth anniversary season.
The story opens in the secluded Owens Valley home of Raymond (James Eckhouse), who establishes the past events and sets the stage for those to come. Raymond explains how his life, his family, his world ended in five seconds of road rage and why he took up smoking at 41. (“It crackled like a Christmas gift unwrapping.”)
This prolonged monologue takes us on a more perilous journey than expected and, in and of itself, could serve as a solid performance piece, but playwright Durso folds the story on itself by the introduction of a second character and his tale; Jamie (Graham Sibley) the estranged son of Raymond.
There is a third character on stage, Detroit.
James Eckhouse as Raymond in ‘Redline.’ (Photo by Dean Cechvala – Courtesy of IAMA Theatre Company)
Well, more precisely, America’s mania with the combustible engine and all that it engenders.
Both Raymond and Jamie share a passion for and a demise caused by that mania.
There are few moments where a car is not central in this piece, almost taking on the presence of the Gods in a Greek tragedy. But Durso sets up the God that Ford built as more forgiving than the fragile creatures that constructed it.
“Is there anything else in the world that smells like hope?” Raymond asks about the smell of a new car.
That is understandable, for when one sits behind the wheel of a new car for the first time there are— as yet —no accidents, no gridlock, no ambulances, no parking tickets or fender benders; there’s only the road; untraveled and unblemished.
Durso’s Redline is intelligent, well-crafted and moving. It is, in short, masterful.
Both Sibley and Eckhouse deliver dead-on performances and Eli Gonda’s exceptionally deft direction ties a bow on this evening which is a gift to any theater-goer. Kudos as well to Josh Epstein’s lighting scheme, which joins with the rest of the IAMA Company to give this work the mounting it deserves.
My suggestion: Put the pedal to the metal and race this one right up to the top of your “to see” list.
♦ ♦ ♦
(In Featured Image Performers: James Eckhouse and Graham Sibley — Photo by Dean Cechvala)
Redline
plays through this November 19 at :
The Lounge Theatre
6201 Santa Monica Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90038
(just east of Vine)
Remaining Performances:
• Friday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m.: Redline
• Sunday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.: Redline
• Friday, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m.: Redline
• Sunday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m.: Redline
For Tickets and Information
• Call 323-380-8843 or go to www.iamatheatre.com
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