By Joel Applegate
The prolific artist, Austin Archer, has given us another thoughtful and moving experience in Marty Has Cancer at the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival. As well known as Archer is to Salt Lake audiences, I was not surprised to see the crowded venue when I arrived Saturday – it was a popular choice that afternoon. And of course Marty Has Cancer is very funny, which is what the playwright set out to do, but he also notes that he was surprised at how personal it became as the writing progressed.
The fine Los Angeles cast was directed by a local, Madeleine Gail Rex, currently on staff at the Pioneer Theatre Company, who set a pace and tone in which her actors flourished. It was wonderful to watch the connections among a cast so at ease with each other. Rhoul (Jess Kellner) and Choi (Sean Sekino) open the show in cross conversation. I guess it is possible for good friends to multitask two conversations at once, even though it looked like neither was listening to the other. While they wait in the bakery for Marty to arrive, Rhoul talks about how hungry he is, and Choi can’t stop commenting about the beautiful woman across the room. They banter about guy stuff, playing expertly off each other, connected in their immediacy with perfect timing. These two millennial buddies have known each other from childhood. And childhood is the place from which this play takes off.
They talk about their lives, the unfairness of where we were born: “Happiness is the direct result of circumstances.” They talk about American Idol, gatekeepers, what the criteria is for excellence, and who makes those distinctions – Simon Cowell? And I got the clear impression they were asking about art as well as life. Choi wants to know “How do I meet a girl in the age of the sexual predator?” Rhoul tells Choi that crying on cue “does not a good actor make.”
Finally, Marty (Dylan Stretchbery) shows up and tells them in a by-the-way manner that he has cancer. He’s quit his job to spend his remaining days in Hawaii and asks the boys to be there with him. Rhoul and Choi react with puzzlement at first, then there’s a growing concern that spreads to their relationship with each other, and expands throughout the play into life, growth and obligation.
Marty’s desire to die in “an ecosystem that is untouched” is a sweet moment, and many more follow. Despite Rhoul and Choi self-consciously trying to distract themselves, they do come around to facing their good friend’s demise without sentimentality, seesawing between ribbing and deep affection. When he gets the chance to be alone, Marty’s monologue is not pitying at all – it’s just quiet. I haven’t said much about humor here, because I was mostly impressed by feeling, but believe me, this play was funny!
There’s not much more of the plot I can reveal without a potential spoiler, except it revolves around the late arrival of Marty’s twin sister, Amber, played by Marza Warsinske, who upends the narrative. Audiences may remember Warsinske for her bomb-throwing turn as Vanda in SLAC’s Venus in Fur a few seasons ago.
When the scene finally moves to Hawaii, the bridge music is Israel (Iz) Kamakawiwo’ole’s sublime, ethereal cover of “Over the Rainbow”. Y’all should YouTube it. I’d just like to thank the sound designer, Troy Klee, (or was it Ms. Rex?) for that perfect, brilliant choice. On the island, Rhoul and Choi continue to irritate each other and Marty grows more distant, hiking up the volcano ahead of them. “It’s not our job to fix Marty, just be his friend.” Is there a theme here? If I had to pick one, it’s Finishing Stuff. I will spoil one thing though: Choi remains deeply clueless about women all the way to the end.
Prufrock Productions presented Marty Has Cancer, by Austin Archer
71 S. Rio Grand St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101, Box Office Location: 110 S Rio Grande St., Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
Box Office Coordinator, Melissa Salguero: gslfboxofficestaff@gmail.com
Prufrock Productions Facebook Page
I wish I could take credit for that bit of sound design, but the credit’s all Austin’s — it’s in the script. 😉