Outcasts from their small Irish town, three sisters cannot let go of their pasts. Their sole comfort is each other, and even that is filled with snide remarks and bitter upsets. However, one sister still hopes to return into the world, claiming love as her immutable anchor. Unfulfilling meager promises of morality, “The New Electric Ballroom” disappoints with a morbidly depressing storyline and is barely salvageable with intelligent direction and vivid acting.
Most convincing out of the three sisters, actress Lisa Pelikan shines as Breda. Telling her story with wide, twinkling eyes, Breda emphatically explains that it was never her time. As she agonizes over her love that never came to fruition, Breda forces her deranged beliefs onto sisters Clara (Casey Kramer) and Ada (Betsy Zajko) and local fishmonger Patsy (Tim Cummings). Because of Pelikan’s small, delicate body, the result is frightening: everyone on stage cowers when Breda approaches. Compelling and visceral, Pelikan’s act highlights her subtle understanding of Breda.
Director John Perrin Flynn takes advantage of the entire stage both horizontally and vertically. Pushing the boundaries of the stage right to the audience’s feet, Flynn makes the play interactive and dynamic. When Patsy (Cummings) brilliantly performs Billy Fury’s “Wondrous Place,” Cummings knows no bounds. Leaping onto the dining table, Cummings becomes Elvis reincarnate, gyrating his hips and languishing on just the right notes. Under the direction of Flynn, Cummings’ performance becomes fluid, sexy and alive.
For how exciting the director makes the action, Flynn misses an important feature. Without even a slight provocation, the actors yell their lines so loudly that they periodically startle the audience. No lull exists in the play, so it is not necessary to wake up the audience with agitated actors.
Throughout “The New Electric Ballroom,” each character creates his own downfall. As a result, the audience cannot feel any remorse or pity for the character’s actions. The older, recluse sisters need to relive their single night at their long-since-defunct dance club, where each lost love that was never initially there. Believing that home is now their safety net, they force the story onto their youngest sister, which is morally disturbing. If writer Enda Walsh’s goal was to inspire pity, then his ambition failed. Since the sisters are all instruments of their own destruction, there is no redeeming character trait.
Even though the script lacks gusto, the play features other notable aspects. The lighting and set design are both stellar. Lighting designer Leigh Allen creates a dramatic setting for the acting, while set designer Stephanie Kerley Schwartz puts forth a stage that is evocative of an old 1950s flat. Both augment the older sister’s desire to reminisce of their glory days.
In “The New Electric Ballroom,” the desire to love is lost, and no one wants to rediscover it. Whether a testament to the character’s deep feelings or a satire on women’s dramatic dispositions, “The New Electric Ballroom” fails to make its point. Smart directing and bright acting aid the play, but not enough to entirely redeem it.
Playing at Theatre/Theater, Rogue Machine’s “The New Electric Ballroom” will continue its run until September 2. Tickets cost $30 at 855-585-5185 or at www.roguemachinetheatre.com. The theater is located at 5041 West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles.
Natalia Evdokimova has been involved with theater throughout her life and has reviewed theatrical productions for local and citywide publications since 2005.
