By Sarah Wengert
TheReader
Nothing much ever really seems to change for the inhabitants of Tom Griffin's play The Boys Next Door. The four men who share an assisted living apartment and their caretaker, Jack, soldier on day after day, going through the same motions and, more often than not, repeating the very same sentences. Over and over.
Despite the symphony of redundancy created by the mentally retarded Lucien P. Smith and Norman Bulansky, the schizophrenic Barry Klemper, and the obsessive-compulsive Arnold Wiggins, the John Beasley Theater's production of The Boys Next Door comes off as fresh and compelling. The effort is a fine charge with which to begin the JBT's sixth season.
Standout performances from the actors who portray all four "boys" and caretaker Jack add tremendously to Griffin's solid and meaningful script. Functioning as director and technical jack of all trades for this production, Tyrone Beasley said he's "particularly proud of this cast in terms of the way they've grown and worked towards a realistic portrayal." Audiences should be as well. In one of the play's watershed moments the terrific Andre McGraw as Lucien must serve as a witness in his own case before the state, which suspects he may be able to subsist and function on his own without the government aid he receives. Lucien believes if he can just recite his ABCs he will be fine. He cannot.
A fantasy, "time freeze" moment occurs in which Lucien stands up at trial and is the strong, articulate man he would be had his disability never afflicted him. The brilliant speech partnered with McGraw's expert delivery is absolutely stirring. While this scene is meant to show the ways in which Lucien is different than most of us and should be treated as such by the state, much of the play actually reveals how similar we all are, despite our degree or lack of mental or emotional handicap. It is because of this as well as the superb cast that these portrayals, no matter how comedic, never come off as mocking.
Aaron G. Wilhoft, as the schizophrenic and delusional golfer Barry, shows great range as he reveals the greatest degree of character change among the boys. In sequences Jack refers to as "Madame DeFarge and the golf pro," Barry sits with his leading confidant, an elderly woman who knits nearly as furiously as he talks. Hard of hearing, she literally doesn't understand Barry, but he gets some kind of release from the exchange, and she gets companionship. These sequences faithfully express the sad fact that in many conversations, we are just talking to ourselves.
Despite the fact that these men deal with issues that "normal" people don't, many of the concerns they face are universal. That the JBT is able to render this message is crucial and appears effortlessly executed. Carl Brooks, brilliant and steady as the job-weary and often heartsick Jack, says in a moment of frustration, "I deserve better. They deserve better. Somebody deserves something." Further along these lines, much of the repetition of thoughts by these challenged characters goes to show that no matter one's mental capacity, it is hard to be heard by others, and, frequently, even more difficult to truly listen to another person. What The Boys Next Door asks its audience to bear in mind is that the hopes, obsessions and fears of all human beings are valuable and valid. It is in our interaction with and appreciation of one another that we shall find grace.
In a year fraught with loss of an actress and venue uncertainty, the JBT has persevered with a fine accomplishment in this production. Through it all it has, according to Tyrone Beasley, "just tried to keep pushing ahead." In this effort the small and hard-working cast and crew certainly succeed. ,
The Boys Next Door continues at the John Beasley Theater, 3010 Q St., through Oct. 22, Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. For more information visit johnbeasleytheater.org or call 444.3446.