Chicago Tribune Theater review,
'A Real Classy Affair'

By Chris Jones

Thanks to a constant presence on New York and London stages, the works of hot, young, Anglo and Irish scribes such as Patrick Marber ("Closer"), Martin McDonaugh ("The Beauty Queen of Leenane"), and Mark Ravenhill ("Shopping and ****ing") are increasingly well known.

And a glance at the recent choices of such major local troupes as Steppenwolf Theatre and Roadworks Productions reveals that this male band of twenty- and thirtysomething nihilists is having a major impact on dramatic programming in Chicago.

Even though he is only 28 years old, playwright (and screenwriter) Nick Grosso is already too big a name in his native Britain to be willing to give interviews to promote Shattered Globe's American premiere of "A Real Classy Affair," which began life at London's Royal Court Theatre with Joseph Fiennes in a major role.

Grosso should have been more generous with his support -- Louis Contey's pitch-perfect production in the Victory Gardens Studio is about as strong and authentic an American premiere as any English playwright could wish. But some arrogance may be understandable here: This is a young writer with gobs of talent and no interest in offering political solutions to anything.

As with Marber and Ravenhill, Grosso's strength is character and situational dialogue rather than plot. This four-scene drama follows a group of four working-class Londoners who meet in a pub to fill their empty lives with the contradictory complexities of rivalry and affection that characterize heterosexual male bonding. The flashpoint here is a woman.

Local kingpin Tommy (Brian Pudil) has been having an affair with Louise (Jennifer Kern), the troubled wife of Stan (Joe Forbrich), Tommy's supposed best mate. With Stan and Louise hopelessly trying to strike out on their own, Grosso creates a complex -- and captivating -- sexual power structure.

The menacing battles to possess a woman here recall the work of both Harold Pinter and John Osborne, but Grosso belongs to a younger set who grew up watching the work of David Mamet. All of the men (Steve Key, Jeff Alguire and Joe Sikora make up the rest of the uniformly excellent cast) are lost pre-Millennium, Gen X souls. They spit their words, brandish their cell phones like guns, and fight for social and economic control.

With superb performances from Kern and Pudil as its center, Contey's well-paced show sizzles with authenticity and pizzazz. Unfortunately, Grosso did not really know how to end his play, and so the climax disappoints.

But this is still a compelling start to Shattered Globe's new residency at the Victory Gardens.

When: Through Oct. 17

Where: Victory Gardens Studio, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.

Phone: 773-871-3000

Jones is a Chicago freelance writer.