Photo by Monique Carboni
Theo Stockman and Claire van der Boom in David Rabe’s play ‘An Early History of Fire’
No heat. No point. No thanks. An Early History of Fire is a dramatic fizzle.
Thats especially disheartening since its the first new play in a decade by David Rabe, the author of The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel and Hurlyburly and other edgy, influential dramas.
Set in the Midwest in 1962 when the times they were a-changin the plot revolves around blue-collar college dropout Danny (Theo Stockman).
His sudden and fixed attraction to pretty, higher-class coed Karen (Claire van der Boom) pulls him away from his German immigrant father (Gordon Clapp) and his buddies Terry (Jonny Orsini) and Jake (Dennis Staroselsky).
Somethings gotta give.
Thats basically it, though the play spins its wheels for nearly 2-1/2 hours.
During that time, characters drink, smoke dope and yammer on in ways that seldom resemble actual conversation, despite capable efforts from the cast and director Jo Bonney.
Chatter roams from The Catcher in the Rye (Karen turns Danny on to it) to survival instincts (Youre like the animals, you gotta eat each other.) to pyrophilia. People like to burn things, someone says. These examples follow: Rome. Atlanta. At least in Gone with the Wind. Nagasaki. The toast. Their fingers.
Deep stuff.
The weirdest moment arrives when Karen asks Danny, Want to see something cute? and then lifts her skirt up. As far as flash goes, thats it for this Fire.
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