June 26, 1998

Two men competing with each other to see who can torture the other more. Women standing commandingly in the background, watching the men deal with the troubles they've caused. The modern West, abundant with desolation, surrounding everyone - these are the things that make the plays of Sam Shepard tick, and fans of his work will instantly recognize all of these familiar traits in "Simpatico," his 1994 play, finely produced by Theater Downtown.

This play, in my opinion, isn't one of Shephard's best (it's not as focused or powerful or novel as "True West", "Buried Child", "Fool For Love", or "The Tooth of Crime"), but it's still good, inventive fun, nicely mixing pop-culture with classic drama.

"Simpatico" marked Shepard's return to the stage after a near-ten year hiatus, during which he wrote, directed, and acted in film. If there's one thing made clear in this play, it's that the movies have heavily influenced it. The play is film noir for the stage - Sam Shepard style. All of the characters maintain the staple Shepard characteristics, but like the characters in the great crime films of the 1940's and 1950's, the people of "Simpatico" live in claustrophobic surroundings and are haunted by pasts they cannot conceal.

The noir comes through in spades, and I have to credit director Frank Hilgenberg for doing a fine job of establishing it. He has his actors reveal their internal tensions in a way that creates a wonderful sense of paranoia. Also, he sets up the stage in three descending levels (an office, an efficiency apartment, and a sitting room, respectively) and lights the play so that no one piece of the set is ever blacked out, which hints that - as in noir - the story here is not just in the people but in the places as well.

"Simpatico" tells the story of a rivalry between two men and the emotional revenge one enacts on the other. Vinnie and Carter are two old friends who once pulled a horse-racing scam involving blackmailing and adultery. Fifteen years later, with Carter now successful and Vinnie living on the skids, the scam is still with them, eating them with guilt and regret. As the play moves on, one learns to accept his crimes while the other falls prey to them.

The play begins with Vinnie asking Carter over to help him deal with a woman he is interested in. The woman has had Vinnie arrested, and Vinnie asks Carter to straighten things out. Carter, after much debate, agrees to Vinnie's request, and from there, things grow complicated in ways I won't even begin to describe. (Why spoil the fun, right?)

The plot twists aplenty, lots of hidden wounds resurface. It just gets more and more complex, both plot-wise and emotionally, with every scene.

All the performances are top rate, which is something I've come to expect from Theater Downtown. Bill Orland, as Carter, particularly shines: His southern drawl accentuates every word he says in just the right way, giving his character a fantastic edge. Carter is pompous, intellectual, sorrowful, humorous, and Orland portrays him wonderfully.

James Zelley, a Theater Downtown regular, gives a strong performance as well. His Vinnie seems heavily based on the Ratso Rizzo character from Midnight Cowboy - both whine a lot, have a particularly annoying New York/New Jersey accent, aren't too bright but are smarter than people conceive them to be, fool with people's minds, and are essentially noble people. Zelley's Vinnie took me a little while to get used to, particularly due to his seeming out of place, but about mid-way through the first scene I clicked with him and was with him for the entire way.

Also noteworthy are Laura Harn, Ed Preiss, and Cynthia McClendon. Harn makes Cecelia, the woman who has Vinnie arrested, into a person people easily misread. She carries the facade of a complete flake, but there are many moments where she hints at a past full of secrets - both good and bad - and makes you wonder just how trustworthy she really is. Preiss, playing Simms, the victim of the blackmailing scam from Vinnie and Carter's past, has a sureness about him that, as the play continues, gains more and more poise and depth. Simms is a man who has come to terms (for the most part, at least) with his past and truly embodies that old belief: "What doesn't kill you can only make you stronger." McClendon, as Rose, the object of both Vinnie's and Carter's desires, has a domineering attitude to her that makes her both fragile and dangerous.

If I have to fault anything about the production, it's the final scene. For some reason, it distances itself from the audience all of a sudden, and as a result, instead of a final scene of great emotional impact, the play ends flatly. Perhaps this was the intention of the production, I'm not sure. If it was, then I'm unclear as to the reasons for it. I haven't read the play, so to be honest, I'm not sure if it's just the way the play was written. But if there were one thing I would change about this production, it would be this scene. It needs a more intimate delivery with the audience to be taken at its full effect.

But don't let that dissuade you. This is a fine production by, in my opinion, the best theater in Orlando. And if plot twists are your thing, then you should head out immediately to see "Simpatico." You definitely will have an evening well spent.

Eyal Goldshmid I am a fiction writer supporting myself as a government clerk for the US army. Until I can fully live off writing, I plan to milk all the luxury I can from the American taxpayer. Other Articles I've Written