Vertigo’s complex – Message? Fun? Both!

Alanna Archibald and Blake Stone

By Tina Arth

For the second time this fall, I ventured out of my comfortable Westside Theatre cocoon to check out something thematically and geographically new to me – in this case, Theatre Vertigo’s world premier production of Dominic Finocchiaro’s complex at the Shoebox Theatre in the wilds of SE Portland. For the second time, I was rewarded with a great show performed by a top-notch cast. In his Director’s Notes, Connery MacRae explicitly instructs us to view the show as a comedy (which it most definitely is – and a deliciously dark one, at that), but also gives us permission to simultaneously consider it “a cautionary tale about the perils of communal living when it is divorced from the development of community.”  I followed his instructions to the letter – made no effort to discern any meaningful thematic content during the show, but afterwards I put some time into contemplating some bizarre aspects of community. I will try not to annoy you with these deep thoughts – see the show and come up with your own.

complex tells the very dark (but ultimately, strangely  uplifting) story of a massive urban apartment complex, complete with fitness center, rec room, and laundry. The play focuses on the utter anonymity of people living in close proximity to each other, but who have no real relationship – one of the fun things for me was puzzling out the names of the characters (kind of essential for a reviewer, if I’m to comment on individual performances, since there are no pictures in the program!). Finocchiaro doles out the characters’ names sparingly, revealing each at a key plot point (with two exceptions – one male, one female – whose names can be deduced by a process of elimination). To honor Finocchiaro’s vision, I will only refer to individual characters by the actors’ names.

A serial killer commits a series of gruesome murders (complete with some very vivid scenes of evisceration) in the complex, gradually reducing the cast size and forcing a shrinking group of survivors to interact with each other in new ways. Sound funny yet?  Watch for Blake Stone and Alanna Archibald, who spend most of their spare time hanging out together in the rec room, speaking but never actually communicating at even the most basic level. Enjoy a neurotic, frustrated Nathan Crosby, desperate for relief from a 12^th floor neighbor’s wall-penetrating musical endeavors. Dissolve with laughter at the short-lived antics of Clifton Holznagel, the aforementioned musician (?) – brilliant stuff, that! Gape at the self-obsessed tenant rep, Eve Johnstone, whose commitment to maintaining her stunningly slim physique trumps all other responsibilities. Marvel at Clara-Liis Hiller and Kaia Maarja Hillier, real-life sisters playing out a stunningly dysfunctional (and utterly hilarious) relationship. Finally, there’s the PBR-swilling Gabe, the least effective security guard cum maintenance man since the late Pat Harrington’s memorable run as Dwayne Schneider on One Day at a Time.

Aside from absolutely flawless performances by all of the above and a taut, witty script, Vertigo’s production reflects the absolute dedication to detail required for a fundamentally weird show. The set is stark, reflecting the modernistic anonymity of the setting – but more important, it allows for split-second set changes as props move in and out to establish locales within the building. Video, lighting, and sound design work together perfectly, and the opening video establishes the overriding ambience in a stunning visual display. MacRae’s entire production staff has formed a powerful team to support the author’s vision and the actors’ interpretations – despite the fact that I almost took out a lane divider on the way home, I have no regrets for having ventured out into a dark and stormy night in SE Portland!

Three important notes – (a) the show runs about 85 minutes, with no intermission, (b) there’s actual gore, plus lots of adult language and content that renders complex inappropriate for the very young or the very faint of heart, and (c) for a really thorough exploration of Finocchiaro’s themes, check out the Oregon Artswatch review from 9/26 – author Bobby Bermea says it all!

Theatre Vertigo’s production of complex is playing at the Shoebox Theatre, 2110 SE 10^th Avenue, Portland with 7:30 performances October 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26.