By Michele Markarian
“Straight White Men” – Written by Young Jean Lee. Directed by Elaine Vaan Hogue. Presented by New Repertory Theatre, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown through September 30.
“For a play entitled “Straight White Men”, the opening of Young Jean Lee’s New England premiere is more than a little curious. The action is framed by Person in Charge (Dev Blair) – a young person who appears to be black, non-binary, gay or trans – who, after a rousing curtain speech, poses the characters in position to begin the scene. Three brothers, Matt (Shelley Bolman), Drew (Michael Kaye) and Jake (Dennis Trainor Jr.) have all gathered in their childhood home to celebrate Christmas, along with their father, Ed (Ken Cheeseman). But Person in Charge is a huge part of the backbone of the boys’ thinking and upbringing. Their deceased Mom gave them a hyper-awareness of political correctness, even going so far as to create a game for them called “Privilege”, where players pick from two piles of cards, one labeled “Excuses” (“What I just said wasn’t racist/sexist/homophobic because I was joking. Pay $50 to an LGBT organization,” says Jake), and the other, Denial.
Despite all of this progressive thinking, Jake, who is divorced from a black woman, is a banker, and Drew, the baby, is a college professor and successful novelist. Matt, the oldest, and the brother who has absorbed most of their mother’s teachings, is Ivy League educated. He lives with his father and has a temp job making copies for a non-profit – not out of a sense of noblesse oblige, but because he wants to feel “useful”. This bothers his brothers and father much more than it bothers him as they attempt to make sense and purpose of his refusal to exercise his privilege.
It’s a strong piece which will challenge, amuse, anger and entertain audience members differently. It’s always perplexing to see someone who has been brought up with advantages seemingly squander them. We have several in our family, and like Matt, they are happy, or claim to be. Jake claims, “It’s a world of pigs, and Matt’s not a pig. But if you’re not a pig, you’re fucked.” Are you really, or just within the company of Straight White Men?
Elaine Vaan Hogue purposefully directs this excellent cast of men who, although none of them even remotely resemble each other, are completely plausible as a family. The brothers wrestle one another, gross each other out, dance, and reminisce (a rendition of Matt’s high school protest version of “Oklahoma” is hilarious). It’s a constant jockeying for position, with Matt at the head of everyone’s admiration. This makes his refusal to participate in the life his family thinks he should that much more confounding for them.
Afsoon Pajoufar’s remarkably realistic set perfectly depicts the low-ceilinged rec room, complete with washer, dryer, and bathroom. Trainor Jr.’s Jake is a ball of energy and tension, capable of exploding with silliness or fury. Drew, the baby, wants to be taken seriously, and Kaye walks a brilliant tightrope between confidence and petulance. Bolman’s Matt has a happy, likeable mien. He can’t understand why he’s distressed everyone so, which makes his character that much more heartbreaking. Cheeseman, as Ed, epitomizes the straight white dad, a man who believes in a simpler time, when one would “Get a job, get married, buy a house, have kids”. The charismatic Blair adds exuberance and light-heartedness to the drama as Person In Charge.
The straight white man I brought with me loved it so much he is planning on seeing it again, maybe bringing another straight white man. When you go, don’t forget to read the program notes, which contain some fascinating truths about the script’s development. Between the direction, cast, and play itself, I felt like a voyeur into the lives of real people, which is a very engaging way to spend an evening and which left me wanting to know more. For tickets and information, go to: For more information and tickets, go to: http://www.newrep.org/
