Corpus Delicti
Written by David Alex
Directed by Wayne Mell
at Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln (map)
thru March 23 | tickets: $20-$35 | more info
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‘Corpus’ an amateurish mess
MadKap Productions presents
Corpus Delicti
Review by Lauren Whalen
To call Corpus Delicti “community theater-bad” is an insult to community theater. In fact, I’ve seen some very strong writing, directing and acting in small-town productions. Too bad none of this was present in MadKap Productions’ so-called “suspense thriller”. Aside from a nice set and one performance that didn’t totally give in to stereotype, Corpus Delicti is not only weak across the board, but a colossal waste of time.
The concept and plot isn’t so bad. Inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, David Alex’s script tells the story of Albert Durante (Matthew J. Lloyd), an ex-con who enjoys reading and cooking in his spare time, but during the day is at the mercy of Contrapasso (John Norris), his sleazy boss at a book repair shop. Though Contrapasso is not only completely inappropriate but weirdly secretive and obsessively religious, he’s employed Albert’s teenage niece Beatrice (Destiny Strothers), the one family member who still wants a relationship with him. One late night at the shop ends with a murderous twist of fate, and Albert is left with a high dose of suspicion, virtually no proof, and the suspicious Detective Michaels (Jeffrey Brown) on his tail.
According to his bio, playwright Alex has received three grant awards from the Illinois Arts Council and one from the Pilgrim Foundation, and has written almost 30 one-act and full-length plays. I was astounded to read this, as Corpus Delicti plays like a clear first effort. The structure and pacing are all right, but the characterization and dialog leave a great deal to be desired. There’s virtually no character development: the protagonist and the villain remain the exact same from beginning to end, no real growth or decline. Aside from a small twist at the end, the plot is completely and utterly predictable – suspense thriller this is not. I found my thoughts drifting at the exact moments when I should have been tense and focused, and almost laughing during Act I’s dramatic climax. And despite the fact that Albert’s stint in prison and innocence are heavily discussed, the audience never finds out what he did (or didn’t do).
Director Wayne Mell shares Alex’s lack of ability: with one exception, none of the actors seem to have received any guidance whatsoever. Norris’ Contrapasso is so over-the-top creepy and evil it’s laughable, not to mention that the actor has no sense of voice modulation and yells every line. Lloyd is a serviceable hero, dutifully getting through his lines and moving through beats, but remains uncompelling throughout the play. Brown appears to be channeling “Law and Order” as the suspicious cop, and Strothers’ perky, upbeat teen just comes across as shrill and foolish.
Two bright spots exist: Robert Estrin’s set design is lovely, appropriately conveying a weathered storefront and a city park. And as Durante’s only friend, homeless veteran Virgil, Michael J. Bullaro creates a complete, nuanced character out of very little source material. I would have happily watched a play about Virgil’s cross-country journey hopping freight trains.
Corpus Delicti did have potential, but ultimately disappoints. What might have been the tale of an ex-con’s descent into paranoia and madness, the anatomy of a villain, or the story of a fallen soldier is instead a predictable, stereotypical attempt at thriller with unrealistic dialog. I can’t speak to Alex’s other work, having only seen this play, but I hope it’s better than his latest attempt.
Rating: ★
Corpus Delicti continues through March 23rd at Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays 2:30pm. Tickets are $20-$35, and are available by phone (773-404-7336) or online through Tix.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at MadKapProductions.com. (Running time: 1 hour 55 minutes, includes an intermission)
artists
cast
Matthew J. Lloyd (Albert Durante), John Norris (Contrapasso), Jeffrey Brown (Detective Michaels), Michael J. Bullaro (Virgil), Destiny Strothers (Beatrice)
behind the scenes
Wayne Mell (director, artistic producer), Robert Estrin (set design), Bob Boxer (sound design), Scott Pillsbury (lighting design), Wendy Kaplan (managing producer)
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