B&B's The Last White Man Defies Categorization by Tina Arth

 

Photo by Casey Campbell Photography shows Tim Gouran and James Luster

When Bag&Baggage founding artistic director Scott Palmer left town in 2018 to try out life in Sun Valley, Idaho, his departure left a massive crater in the Washington County theater scene. Undaunted, B&B stepped up and produced some absolutely marvelous stuff after his departure - then, of course, Covid hit and threw a massive monkey wrench into pretty much everything, definitely including the arts scene. In fact, the last live production I reviewed before the shutdown was Measure of Innocence at The Vault in March of 2020 (fun side note: I still remember with horror the woman who sat next to me, coughing throughout the show!). As the local area emerged from strict lockdown, I was able to see a couple of B&B’s outdoor productions, but I had been pining for some serious Vault time when I got the invitation to see playwright Bill Cain’s The Last White Man directed by – wait for it – Scott Palmer! Leave it at this: I am delighted that Scott is back, he has assembled a remarkable team and managed the B&B resources to their best effect to present a play that grips the audience from beginning to end. I don’t know what role he’ll be playing in the local theater scene, but I will follow his reintegration enthusiastically.

 

Since the current production is the Pacific Northwest premiere of The Last White Man it is not surprising that I knew nothing about the show when I walked in the door. When you go to see it (you will, right?) you’ll have a better handle on what to expect! A major production of Hamlet is in the works, under the guidance of Xandri (Janelle Rae), a Black woman director. Theirlead is big-name film star Charlie (Khail Duggan), sporting a shiny new Oscar but plagued by paralyzing doubt about his ability to do justice to the iconic role. He is driving the amazingly patient Xandri nuts with his reluctance to rehearse, and he wants to modify the script – e.g., why not say “To be, or not” and cut out the second “to be” since it’s superfluous? However, Xandri has covered their bases – there’s Rafe (James Luster), an ambitious understudy who would love to see Charlie disappear, and Tigg (Tim Gouran), a venerated older actor willing to step in for a final crack at one of theater’s greatest roles to close his illustrious career. Cain puts a lot of drama in this play within a play about a play within a play, but laces it with so much humor that I really can’t call it tragedy, comedy, or dramedy – it’s all of the above, a tasteful dose of commentary on diversity issues in theater, and more, plus a sporadic soundtrack playing homage to the greatest hits of Gloria Gaynor and Bonnie Tyler. What’s not to love?

 

Khail Duggan grabs focus immediately; he’s a lithe, muscular, and brooding James Dean wannabe whose juvenile outbursts and tantrums initially come across as spoiled egotism. Duggangradually reveals the crippling insecurity at war with his determination to succeed that makes “To be, or not to be” much more than a line in a play – his indecision blurs the line between actor and role until we can hardly separate the two. Luster’s “Rafe” moves smoothly between eager fanboy, touchingly sincere friend, and master manipulator – figuring out who he is at any point in the play poses an interesting challenge, and in the final analysis Luster convinces us that he is all three.

 

Tim Gouran is masterful as Tigg – funny and even whimsical, sometimes sardonic, sometimes laconic and sometimes intense. He gradually reveals how much this final Hamlet means to him, yet how much it takes for him to tackle the role – Touran inhabits Tigg’s skin completely as he slowly breaks our hearts. 

 

Finally, there’s Janelle Rae’s “Xandri” – perhaps easily overlooked on a stage filled with attention seeking white guys, yet as director they actually hold the reins of this turbulent Hamlet. Rae creates a character who is confident, strong, and determined to get the performances they need without resorting to the bullying they have seen from male directors – somewhere between a kindergarten teacher and a fight referee. As the only Black, only female character they carry the show’s social justice messages on their shoulders with aplomb.

 

Technical Director Jim Ricks-White uses the Vault’s tech capabilities to spectacular effect, teaming up with Projection Designer Mandy Khoshnevisan to create a rich theater world from a relatively bare stage. 

 

Bag&Baggage’s The Last White Man is playing at The Vault, 350 E. Main Street, Hillsboro, through Sunday, October 30th.