After the Plague There’s Darkness

The Locusts – The Gift Theatre

In the Book of Exodus, the seventh plague of Moses was locusts. God told Moses to stretch out his hand over the land of the heartless Pharaoh, and locusts would swallow up every crop and all the fruit of the trees in Egypt. Afterwards, when all had been destroyed, there was darkness. In this World Premiere, written by Jennifer Rumberger, Layla, the Vero Beach Police Chief, calls to mind this event of retribution from the Bible. She’s musing about the random destruction in her town, inflicted upon so many young girls and their families, and caused by an unknown serial killer. It’s an apt metaphor when describing the effects that this savage murderer has had on the small Florida coastal community.

Ella, a tough FBI Agent from Washington D.C., has been sent to her hometown to help catch the killer. So far, he’s violated and butchered at least three innocent young girls. As she tries to uncover the monster responsible for these horrendous deeds, Ella’s also attempting to reconnect with her estranged family, while fitting in with the Vero Beach police department. In addition, Ella also has to face the childhood trauma that provoked her to flee her hometown. 

She moved away from her family several years ago, following the death of her father. But upon returning for work, and the temporary housing options in Vero Beach mean a grubby motel room at the Howard Johnson’s, Ella decides to crash on the sofa in her younger sister’s home. Maisie, a single mother, is bitter about Ella’s longtime absence, but insists she stay with her. She’s about five months pregnant with a new baby while struggling to raise Olive, her teenage daughter. Maisie is also caring for Willa, her ailing, senile elderly Mother-in-law. It’s more than Maisie can bear and Ella’s return home sparks buried animosities toward her older sister and life, in general. But when the random teen murders grow closer to home, Ella, Layla and Robbie, a young police officer new to the force, know they need to find this murderer soon, as the crimes continue to increase in number.

Ms Rumberger’s play is a winner. It’s filled with mystery, angst and unrelenting tension, as she explores the lives and relationships of six characters caught in the web of this unapprehended killer. The mounting anxiety in this two-hour drama is relieved by a few laughs, as well as by the stories written and read aloud by teenage Olive. If only there weren’t quite so many of these narratives, because they eventually feel like they’re blocking the progression of the plot.

Company members Cyd Blakewell and Brittany Burch have always been two of the best reasons to attend any Gift Theatre production. In every role they’ve played in past shows, these accomplished actresses have always turned in nothing but honest performances. Jennifer Rumberger’s riveting drama provides this pair of remarkable performers another chance to stretch their creative muscles. Ms Blakewell inhabits the demanding role of Ella with ferocity, often simmering and seeming to harbor an unknown piece of the puzzle that really piques our curiosity. Ms Burch takes on the challenge of playing Maisie, a young woman who bravely faces the problems of surviving while the world balances on her shoulders. Attempting to both nourish and protect her daughter, while keeping her family safe and comfortable, is almost too much for this stressed out woman to handle. Both actresses are, as always, absolutely honest and totally truthful in their portrayal of sisters who dearly love each other but find past pain intolerable.

Lovely Mariah Sydnei Gordon has some very good moments as Olive. She, too, brings a natural quality to her character and is very convincing as a young teenager who’s scared and troubled by the deaths of her friends. But Ms Gordon, who has considerable film and television credits, needs to remember that when telling a story onstage, the audience needs to be able to hear everything her character is saying. Sometimes we missed important dialogue because the actress whispered her lines.

Jennifer Glasse is a gifted actress and brings her talent and experience to the role of Layla. This Chief of Police is a no-nonsense servant of the public who feels insulted to have an FBI agent sent to assist in her job. She’s just as tough as Ella, but much more vocal. Eventually Layla comes to realize that they’re both on the same side. Newcomer Patrick Weber is perfection as the rookie cop who wants to prove he’s ready for bigger projects. But when push comes to shove, he’s also a young man who’s easily frightened and affected by the horror and savagery of this particular crime spree. And, as Willa, Renee Lockett brings warmth and charm to the role of Olivia’s grandmother. Mostly confined to her bed, Willa lives through her granddaughter’s creative stories that she reads to her Nana as she tucks her in for the night.

Company member John Gawlik’s direction is terse and straightforward. He keeps the story driving on toward its conclusion while fostering some wonderfully intricate character development. However, the biggest problem with this production arises from Chas Mathieu’s spread-out scenic design and the subsequent configuration of the audience. Patrons are seated in an L-shaped formation, with an additional alcove of seats tucked away toward the far left end, preventing some scenes from being visible to every audience member. Even sitting in the front row, as I was, the action taking place in the police department, situated so far off in a right corner, was absolutely invisible to me. With other audience members to my right, leaning out in an attempt to see these scenes, I missed 95% of them. There’s a peculiar “stage” built into the scenic design, backed by a colorful mural, that’s only used a couple of times; but, in contrast, Willa’s bed gets hauled out from beneath the platform often enough that it could have earned a permanent position somewhere on the set. It’s just an awkward setup that will make many audience members frustrated.

Jennifer Rumberger’s thriller is also a psychological horror story for each of these six individuals. The metaphor of locusts devouring the landscape is appropriate and creates a graphic image of how tragedies like this can devastate a community. All the characters, particularly Ella and Maisie, are so realistic and three-dimensional, audiences might believe that this story being played out is truly their own. But it’s a play that’s based upon a number of true crimes. And then, after such crimes, there’s only ever despair and darkness.

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented October 20-November 19 by The Gift Theatre at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling 773-975-8150 or by going to www.thegifttheatre.org.

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