Baiting the Hook

To Catch a Fish

Baiting the Hook

A young man named Terry, who lives with his grandma, Brenda Cameron, in a low-income Milwaukee neighborhood, truly enjoys his job. He works for Dex, Ike and Regina, handing out fliers for their popup pawnshop, in a woods near the Walmart. Their store reportedly sells articles of clothing, toiletries and other small items. The fliers, that Terry so proudly delivers to prospective customers, informs them that the shop will also buy back any guns they possess at a respectable price. So each day, Terry proudly heads out on his bicycle to distribute pamphlets advertising this makeshift specialty pawn shop.

Terry is generally sweet-natured, a man-child, with the most contagious smile always on his face. The audience eventually discovers that, as a baby, Terry experienced a tragic accident that resulted in permanent brain damage, leaving the young man with the emotional and intellectual capacity of an 8-year-old child. But Terry may be unknowingly in danger. What he doesn’t get, but what the audience suspects from the beginning, is that there’s something shady about this whole operation. 

Dex and Ike, his employers, don’t come across as the nicest guys; in fact, they’re violent and threatening, especially when patronizing Terry. The two also coerce their co-worker, Regina, forcing her to perform deeds that may be against her better judgment. Terry’s girlfriend Rochelle, his doting grandmother and even his less-than-innocent cousin, Dontre all try to warn the young man to be cautious. But Terry is steadfastly devoted to Dex and Ike and thinks they’re his friends. Soon Terry and the audience learn differently. 

Chicago playwright Brett Neveu wrote and developed this drama as the first play to be produced through TimeLine’s Playwright’s Collective program. Based upon a real-life event that occurred six years ago in Milwaukee, Neveu changed the names of his characters but, otherwise, related the dramatic story of Chauncey Wright. This young, innocent African American man unknowingly worked for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in one of their Milwaukee area undercover sting operations. It wasn’t until things went awry that he learned the seriousness of his mistaken trust.

Beautifully staged and guided by respected, gifted director Ron OJ Parsons, this excellent production is filled with tension and trauma. Performed almost entirely in the round, within a tiny space, the size of most living rooms, the events of this play land directly in the laps of theatergoers. The production is gritty and honest, yet laced with moments of tough love and empathy. 

The talented cast is uniformly first-rate. Geno Walker is superb as Terry Kilbourn. His gentle manner, his soft-spoken ways and every look and gesture is perfection. Primarily a union film actor, Mr. Walker has made this theatrical role all his own. Tiffany Addison also makes her TimeLine debut as Rochelle. As Terry’s girlfriend, she’s one tough cookie. A minimum wage Walgreens employee, Rochelle has a soft spot in her heart for the young man who enjoys sharing her company, watching movies in her living room and sitting quietly on the front stoop talking and sipping wine.

Anji White, so miraculous in TimeLine’s productions of “The Last Wife” and, especially, “Sunset Baby,” is fiercely magnetic as Regina Whitnall. A no-nonsense woman who can take the crap from the men around her and give it right back, Ms. White is one of those actors who can mesmerize audiences with just a look. Al’Jaleel McGhee is, at once, powerful and heartbreaking as Terry’s ne’er-do-well cousin, Dontre. A young man who just can’t seem to catch a break or make a good life choice, Mr. McGhee is solid and captivating. Linda Bright Clay, a longtime  Chicago veteran of theatre, television and film, is loving, impressive and convincing as Brenda Cameron, Terry’s determined, Christian-based grandmother.

The Gift Theatre’s versatile, young Jay Worthington is frightening as Ike; and Stephen Walker, seen recently in A Red Orchid Theatre’s production of Brett Neveu’s “Traitor,” creates the character of Dex Farwell as a man filled with rage and distrust. Together these two men become the antagonists of this story, who team up in turning Terry’s world upside-down.

This world premiere is spellbinding. It’s an edgy story that oozes with suspense and hostility. Brett Neveu’s drama offers a taut story about characters who we really care about. It’s all the more fascinating because it’s real, closely based upon a true incident that happened, not long ago, and just a couple of hours away from Chicago. With the recent ambush and shooting of a Chicago ATF agent currently in the headlines, this play resonates even louder with Windy City audiences. Baiting the hook to lure this fish out of water will leave audiences breathless.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas         

Presented April 25-July 1 by TimeLine Theatre Company, 

615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available by calling 773-281-8463 x6 or by going to www.timelinetheatre.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.