Gruesome Playground Injuries
Written by Rajiv Joseph
Directed by Lavina Jadhwani
at Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division (map)
thru Aug 5 | tickets: $15-$25 | more info
Check for half-price tickets
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Touching production delves into friendship forged through personal tragedy
Rasaka Theatre presents
Gruesome Playground Injuries
Review by K.D. Hopkins
The premise of Gruesome Playground Injuries is the bonding of two friends over injuries and struggles with mental illness. The characters of Doug and Kayleen meet in the nurse’s office in 3rd grade. Doug (Tim Martin) has ridden his bicycle off of the roof of St. Margaret Mary and Kayleen (Mouzam Makkar) is plagued by another mysterious stomach ailment.
Like playwright Rajiv Joseph’s play Animals Out of Paper (my review), this production is a window into the lives of South Asians in American “culture”. I put the word in quotes because America is an amalgam of every other culture in the world from our incarnation. The otherness of South Asia is usually seen as mysterious, but in Gruesome Playground Injuries, the need for connection and healing is universal. Kayleen has self esteem issues and major depression even as a child. Doug has the same issues but its called being accident prone.
The physical issues at different times in the friend’s lives is given a deft comic touch to balance the angst of navigating relationships and life. Doug puts his eye out and it is implicit that everyone has heard ‘don’t do that or you will put your eye out!’ He knocks a tooth out, gives Kayleen pink eye and in one particularly funny scene is the Zamboni operator at an ice rink from a wheelchair. The delicate balance is that Kayleen’s injuries are psychological. She is a cutter and eventually tries to self-eviscerate. Doug sees her as his healer and touchstone throughout all of his trials. She is a shining light to him but only sees the darkness.
The actors change clothes on stage and it adds to the experience of transitioning between ages. The stage lighting, music, and spare furnishings are perfect for the dialog and theme of this production. Director Lavina Jadhwani wisely keeps the action muted to amplify the emotional impact. This is a beautiful and touching production with a realistic denouement. There are no pat answers and everyone has that one person in the world that understands them best and accepts them without reservations – not (always) a lover, but one that you love the most.
Rating: ★★★
Gruesome Playground Injuries continues through August 5th at Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 4pm. Tickets are $15-$25, and are available by phone (312-777-1070) or online through Eventbrite.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at RasakaTheatre.org. (Running time: 90 minutes without intermission)
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Photos by Tyler Core
