Empathy and Honesty

St. Sebastian – Refracted Theatre Company

In a thought-provoking new work by playwright Andrew Kramer, New York’s Refracted Theatre Company bursts onto the Chicago scene as the Windy City’s newest stage company. In its mission statement, the theatre seeks, through its presentations, “to disrupt socially accepted narratives by telling the ‘other side of the story.’” It goes on to say that the plays it presents are centered upon empathy and humanity.

Such is the theme of the gripping and fascinating production that launches this company for Chicago’s ever-growing theatre scene. “St. Sebastian” is a story for the HGTV era of audience members, who regard flipping old, rundown houses as a challenging, but entertaining and fulfilling hobby or project. In purchasing, gutting and rehabbing a house in the village of Robbins, located in the Southwest corner of Cook County, Ben neglects to look at how his presence, as a White man coming into a predominately Black neighborhood, might look to others. However, Ben’s younger partner, Gideon is more socially conscious and filled with doubt. He feels it’s his job to raise all the questions. Throughout this 95-minute drama Gideon continually confronts his boyfriend with all the many issues that Ben has naively ignored.

Against the background of today’s volatile political, social and economic climate, including the Black Lives Matter Movement, and the intersection of biases regarding race, religion, sexuality and just being human, Kramer’s play is in constant motion. When Ben befriends one of his young African-American neighbors, and offers him a job doing some yard work, he’s doing it out of kindness and compassion. But Gideon only sees how others will perceive the act. The social problems inherent in Ben hiring a young, Black man to work for him may be regarded as racist. As we learn more and more about how Ben and Gideon’s relationship began and developed, the audience’s view of Ben’s motives begins to shift. What originally seemed like an innocent, casual friendship between two men from different ethnicities and backgrounds, suddenly takes on possible ominous and downright dangerous implications. 

Just like the titular martyred Saint, who suffered prejudice, torture and death, possibly because he may have been gay, Ben is shot with Gideon’s arrows of doubt and suspicion about his underlying motivations. The play opens up all kinds of topical wounds, ripe for discussion, and certainly leaves the audience with food for thought, if not downright debate.

Graham Miller economically stages Andrew Kramer’s World Premiere drama in the intimate Studio B venue of the Den Theatre. The actors tell their story in and amongst Catalina Nino’s scenic design that suggests the fallen timbers of a house in need of repair. As Ben tackles his renovation, a blue piece is added to various portions of the set to denote an improvement. The modest, arena-style seating is nicely illuminated by Levi Wilkins, creating mood and focus for the audience.

All three actors are perfectly cast. Adam Thatcher is sensational as the handsome, Teddybear-like Ben. His every gesture, facial expression and movement feels genuine and thoughtful. Thatcher’s blossoming friendship with Reuben, played with youthful vim and vigor by Nolan Robinson, is honest and caring. The two actors share plenty of banter and humorous moments. Their scenes together are touching and meaningful. These two actors make you believe in their unspoken desire to bridge any racial barriers and become friends. Mack Spotts plays the antagonist role as Ben’s partner, Gideon. Younger, spryer and more suspicious and questioning than his lover, Gideon never stops picking and probing his areas of concern and is forever challenging Ben in his true motives. By the end of this captivating play, the audience, who feels like it’s on Team Ben at the beginning, has begun to shift, if only slightly, to consider the possible disastrous outcome of this gentrification project, as speculated by Gideon.

In a world where social media has elevated each person to imagine they’re an expert on everyone else’s business, criticism has become our constant way of life. The discussion always reverts to “how many ‘likes’ did you get?” Nothing anyone does anymore is regarded at face value and the loss of personal freedom, integrity and genuine motivations are the result. We’re living in a new era where a new Loss of Innocence is rampant and dangerous. Three individuals with their own personal interests, personalities and motivations stand before us and we become their judge and jury in the end. Because we are, indeed, all part of this story that’s a tale of empathy and humanity.       

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented September 15-October 2 by Refracted Theatre Company at the Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the Den box office or by going to www.thedentheatre.com.

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