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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. Primary Trust Also see Susan's reviews of Sojourners, The Comedy of Errors and The Comeuppance
The play is set in a time before smartphones, in a (fictional) dusty suburb of Rochester, New York. Misha Kachman's clever, economical set brings the audience inside the setting with simple illuminated two-dimensional streetscapes on the three walls of the auditorium and a schematic drawing of downtown, resembling a map drawn in chalk, behind the stage. A few movable set pieces complete the picture, assisted by Venus Gulbranson's eloquent lighting design. The heart of the drama is Kenneth (Julius Thomas III), a man in his late 30s, who grew up in this town and lives an insular day-to-day life. He is the only employee of a seller of used books (Craig Wallace), and the highlight of his day is going to a tiki bar downtown after work and indulging in Mai Tais with his best (and only) friend, Bert (Frank Britton). Kenneth only begins to take steps away from his routine after the bookshop closes and he seeks employment at a bank. ("Primary Trust" doesn't just refer to Kenneth's personal issues.) Thomas does a masterful job of portraying Kenneth, a man who isolates himself in part because of traumatic experiences he can only share with kindly, non-judgmental Bert (played with great heart and sympathy by Britton). Wallace warmly plays two authority figures who don't understand Kenneth but like him anyway. Yesenia Iglesias glows as several contrasting bar waitresses and in a few other roles. Primary Trust runs through October 20, 2024, at Signature Theatre, ARK Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington VA. For tickets and information, please call 703-820-9771 or visit www.SigTheatre.org. By Eboni Booth Cast: |
