‘Crude,’ a Theater Review
When a massive oil spill threatens the reputation of his company, marketing representative Jaime Kurtz (played by TV Land’s Younger Nico Tortorella), must quickly strategize how to fix this pending problem. In the span of one day, playwright Jordan Jaffe takes us through a surprisingly entertaining journey, as Tortorella and his faithful friend (Aaron), played by W. Tré Davis, try to come up with ways on how restore their company’s dependability. This fresh and quick-witted dark comedy had its world premiere at Theater 511 at Ars Nova in New York City.
In watching the play, I couldn’t help but to admire its extraordinarily refreshing quality. Maybe the fact that it’s a world premiere has something to do with it but in my opinion, its distinctive story line, satirical undertones accompanied by beats of humor and simple staging are what make this production of Crude so charismatic. Director Kel Haney establishes a realistic, comedic and entertaining theatrical experience, one that accentuates a uniquely existing plotline and beautifully complicated characters.
Right off the bat, we are drawn into the world of the play through Haney’s skillful use of the fourth wall technique. In the opening scene, Jaime directs his wife Brittany’s attention (Eliza Huberth) toward the audience, as he eagerly shows her his company’s newest commercial spot, playing on TV (the audience area symbolizing the television itself). Haney utilizes this technique throughout the entire play, a notable moment being the presentation scene later on.
In an attempt to save his company from failure, Jaime delivers an apologetic presentation at work, in later scenes. He stands center stage, in the audience and makes eye contact with us. We can’t take our eyes off of him. For starters, the subtle yet effectively powerful light that shines on him inevitably puts him into focus. The second reason, being his brilliant acting. Prior to this moment in the play, Jaime and Aaron get stoned on account of the drugs that Aaron’s friend Manny (Jose Joaquin Perez) supply them with. The drugs have an inescapable effect on them, both physically and emotionally, but the real magic comes in their performance. Throughout the course of their intake, Tortorella and Davis explore nuances of their high and realistically physicalize their varying side effects (from hype and elation to aggressiveness and sickness). By the time the presentation scene rolls around, the drugs have taken their final toll, especially on Jamie as he rushes out of the conference room… to puke.
These elements of dark humor comedically accentuate Jamie’s substance abuse in an attempt to underline a deeper meaning. There certainly seems to be something missing in Jaime’s life. Maybe he still longs to be the documentary filmmaker he once was. Or maybe he’s not fully content with the life he has now. Least to say, there’s a void.
Cue the drugs.
Although drugs are by no means a part of his everyday life, their rapturous side effects are reflective of the hype that Jaime might be looking to get back. “It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this excited about what I do,” he confesses to his wife, in later scenes. The fact that he gets high while conceptualizing ideas for work makes this statement especially true: he wants to feel “excited” again. This strongly implies a certain desire to reinstate a sense of vocational purpose and passion.
In a play that demands varying moments of physicality and emotional changes, the caliber of acting must be up to par, and I’m happy to say that it was. From the beginning, Tortorella drew us in with his charisma and an incredibly natural sense of acting. He worked the space in a way that felt, much like his own, realistic and comfortable. In later scenes, he brilliantly physicalized the different stages of drug consumption and connected them to how his character might emotionally be feeling beneath the surface.
As Aaron’s drug dealer friend, Jose Joaquin Perez’s performance particularly stood out to me as well. As far as developed characters go, Manny’s dark wit and calculated presence make him stand out, but it was Perez’s comedic timing, off beat characterization and commitment to the script that truly brought his character to the top.
This production of Crude was nothing short of spectacular. Artistic choices were skillfully made and gracefully actualized. Generally speaking, all of the actors executed vivid characterizations and unique performances. Their work, in combination with Haney’s detailed direction made this show a hit, leaving audience members satisfied and entertained.
