Sam Holcroft’s “Cockroach” has been described a feminist answer to “Lord of the Flies.” This highly theatrical British drama by one the UK’s hottest young playwrights, in its US premiere at the Monkey Wrench Collective in Fullerton through Oct. 9, comments pungently on everything from sexuality and evolution to the relevance of education and the role of war in society. More than that you don’t need to know.
If the British accents make it difficult to decipher some of the dialogue, it hardly matters. Director Christopher Basile has tackled the play as though he were staging an opera or a ballet, resulting in a riveting, visceral piece of theatre that will have you riding the edge of your chair. His six-member cast turns in some of the best ensemble work you’re likely to see all year, a half dozen finely crafted performances.
Standouts include Kourtni Pollard as Mmoma, a young lady so desperate for love she creates a fantasy boyfriend; MWC/Rude Guerrilla vet Alexander Price as Lee, a misfit who finds self worth in donning a uniform; and Chapman grad Katelyn Gault as Leah, his tough, mean-spirited girlfriend.
Less compelling is “The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Dr. Faustus” at Hunger Artists,” on the other side of Fullerton through Oct. 2. Christopher Marlowe’s classic Renaissance drama demands a high level of technique, right up there with Shakespeare, and the ensemble fails to meet the challenge.
Brenda Kenworthy anchors Amber Scott’s production with a solid, multi-faceted portrayal of Faustus, but the rest of the cast is all over the map; the result is a show that lacks subtlety and depth. Mark Rosier (as an Evil Angel and the Friar), Don Dench (as Lucifer and the Pope) and Jessica Likens (in various roles) provide some of the brighter moments.
Hot tip: Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble’s closing show in its current Santa Ana space encores Sept. 16 & 17. “Slip of the Tongue” offers stories of identity, sexuality and culture, with solo shows by Sara Guerrero and Elizabeth Szekeresh, and short films by Szekeresh and Cristina Nava.
More from Jordan:
‘West Side Story’ revived in OC
Mike Daisey’s 24-hour solo show, post-Labor Day stage openings
‘Bakersfield Mist’ at Fountain (extended to 10/16)
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