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- Mud – Raw and Riveting!; Airwaves Exchange! (Hot Stuff)
by Buzzin' Lee Hartgrave‚ Jan. 16‚ 2009
- MUD IS A SHOW YOU WILL REMEMBER
- The industrial music sounds at the beginning of the show set the tone
of the play. As the cranking horrific music wafts around the theater, you
know that you are going to be trapped in some serious unpleasant moments.
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- The first scene: There is an ironing board. Men’s white shirts
are hanging to dry. Behind the ironing board is an Iron Pot sitting on
a beat up Hot Plate. Mae enters the room and starts to Iron shirts that
she is pulling from a basket.
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- Mae lives with Lloyd, who is not the brightest bulb in this neck of
the woods. Mae’s father brought Lloyd, who was an abandoned child
home. He was raised with Mae. They live in rural parts in the middle of
nowhere. They are completely broke. It’s doubtful that they have two
quarters to rub together. Mae Irons shirts just to keep her and Lloyd in
bread and soup. The room itself is enough to keep you in constant depression.
Neither one of them can read; although Mae does a little better then Lloyd
who is totally illiterate. Also Lloyd is not well and he won’t go
the clinic to find out what’s wrong with him. Mae goes to school when
she can, to learn to read and write. Lloyd just sits around and rots.
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- They have had an affair, although they are not married. But, now Mae
is tired of him just laying around and doing nothing. “I work”,
Mae says. I Iron clothes so that I can buy the things that we need to live,
and I go to school.” Lloyd comes onto Mae. “I can still get it
up Mae” – he says. “No you can’t get it up. You’re
sick Lloyd, and you can’t get it up. You stink. Nobody wants to be
near you. The dogs will puke when they get near you.” “F%ck you
Mae – I can get it up, you whore.” – says Lloyd as he rubs
himself down there.
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- There is a Tennessee Williams feeling to this play. It’s real,
it’s brash and hits you like a steamroller. But, as bad as things
are – they get worse as a man with no home comes to visit. His name
is Henry. Mae hopes that he can read a medical brochure to see if she can
find out what is wrong with Lloyd. Henry is not all that helpful, even
though he can read a little better. The answer is still that Lloyd needs
to go to the clinic. Finally Lloyd goes to the clinic. “They want
me to take some pills and they want me to buy them” – he tells
Henry who avoids offering any help, except to tell Lloyd that he needs
to do what they tell him. Lloyd does get his pills, but I won’t tell
you how he got them.
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- Henry moves in, replacing Lloyd in Mae’s bed. Then an accident
happens and Henry becomes partially paralyzed. Now Mae has two imperfect
men to take care off. She wants to get on with her life. Mae wants to go
to school to learn things. When she walks out the door, Lloyd is destroyed.
He completely falls apart as he blends into the Mud and dirt on the floor.
His torn socks are like a statement of his life. The ending is heartbreaking,
and indescribably moving! Prepare to be riveted. This play shows you the
thin line between love and hate. The acting is absolutely brilliant by
these masterly actors: Alan Kaiser (Lloyd), Marilet Martinez (Mae) and
Garth Petal (Henry). The spectacular directing is by Paige Rogers. The
fascinating, complex play is by Maria Irene Fornes. Liliana Duque designed
a perfect set, and Cliff Caruthers sound design chilled me to the bone.
Bessie Delucchi’s Costume designs were right on target. Clear your
calendar to see “Mud” – a heartbreaking story of resilience,
hope, and how far people will go to get it
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- PLAYING AT THE ‘CUTTING BALL THEATRE’ (At Exit Theatre) on
Taylor Street.
- RATING: FOUR GLASSES OF CHAMPAGNE!!!! (Highest Rating) –trademarked-
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