There’s a lot going on in the minds of those aboard "The Coast Starlight” by Keith Bunin, developed last year under the DNA New Work
Series at the Playhouse and aptly directed by Tyne Rafaeli. It is in a world
premiere production and is currently on stage at the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre
through Sept. 15.
The Coast Starlight leaves Los Angeles heads north and
reaches its destination of 1377 miles, in Seattle in a about 35 hours and makes
28 stops along the way. It’s definitely not the starlight express but for the
passengers aboard on this particular trip, the only one passenger, T.J. (Nate
Mann), might have been better off if time stood still.
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| Mia Barron, Rob Yang, Stephanie Weeks, Nate Mann, Camila Cano-Flavia and Rhys Coiro |
There's lots going on with the six passengers who connect with each
other on different levels; some fit into the community at large, others are
played out in the imagination or minds of what might have been said/done or
changed minds.
Seldom do strangers on a train speak with one another. At one time I
did have a lovely train partner from the Netherlands while traveling across
Australia where we spent three days in the small cabin that was made into
sleeping quarters at the end if the day. We actually became friends and
exchanged visits.
And of course there was the trip across the country, from San
Diego to Boston on the then Sky Chief (runner up to Amtrack) by train with my
husband way back when. That trip took, I can’t even remember how many days but
we did it both ways. I love train
travel. I’m a fan
Training it to Washington, DC, or New York or Florida was
common- place in my younger days, as were the trips to LA to see friends and or
theatre. I could almost identify with the activity or lack thereof of the six
characters headed north on this day.
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| Camila Cano-Flavia, Rhys Coiro, Mia Barron and Nate Mann |
It’s made clear at the
start that there was chemistry between Jane and T.J., but no conversation and late regrets. She
was a sketch artist traveling north to see and possibly break with her
boyfriend and he was a medic in the military, running away from his past with the idea of
deserting his post at Camp Pendleton rather than being sent back to Afghanistan.
By the time we learn of his dilemma, he had fourteen hours to decide. It was the biggest decision
of a lifetime, one that would forever alter his life and, and in some way have
an effect on those around him that night. At the outset verbal exchanges might have happened or not but they let us in on what their thoughts were.
Noah (Rhys Coiro) got on at San Louis Obispo headed to
Klamath Falls to stay with his ailing mother. Scruffy looking “He looked like
somebody who’d had a rough time of it for a while”…. Jane observed. “I figured
from his bag that he’d been a soldier.” (T.J.) “You go on the run, you’re a
traitor.” (Noah)
Liz (Mia Barron), a lightning rod gets on in Salinas, cell
phone on ear and ranting about being thrown out of a retreat (Esalen
Institute): “They start off by talking by talking about techniques for
improving our sex lives, which meant I had to imagine them having sex, and that
was like imagining two stalks of celery having sex.” That excursion would be
the end of her narriage.
Barron is simply a hoot as her ranting’s are loud enough and
steamy with language to send enough energy to pull the emergency chord.
Oblivious to all around her, she manages to attract everyone’s attention before
she’s done. ‘Does she know we all can hear her?” (Jane). She was talking so
loud, it drowned out everything I was thinking.”(T.J.)
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| Cast of The Coast Starlight |
Traveling salesman Ed (Rob Yang), exhausted and downtrodden,
is the next to board. They were now passing San Jose (first capitol of
California chime Noah) and talk of the song became part of the conversation
along with Ed’s half inebriated confessions of motels he has slept in to earn
his living selling. “For the past three years I’ve been working as the
California representative for a company called Investors Publicity. It’s barely
a real company”
Last but not least to join is Anna (Stephanie Weeks) who is
headed back to Olympia just having been to San Francisco (Mission District) to
identify her brother’s body. Of the six, I found her story more like of add on
that if left off might not have changed the outcome or dynamic of the
interactions of the rest.
Of the six, the shared stories and exchange of experiences
shared by Noah and T.J. are the most insightful, truthful and meaningful. Noah,
down on his luck and living on someone else’s boat (sort of boat sitting) has
some pretty straight talk to T.J. who, young and vulnerable with no immediate
family to advise finally must make his decision; to go back and finish his
duties, or go AWOL.
We all have stories, some more compelling than others.
Strangers on a train, traveling for some 35 hours together gives credence to
the fact that after a while, communications and curiosity will break down the
sound barrier and eventually, we will share, meditate and wonder silently, if I
had only spoken my thinking, how much more interesting these hours might have
been.
With a more than competent, gifted and straightforward ensemble
Bunin’s “The Coast Starlight” offers some interesting ideas and impressions (there is almost no
action save the moving of the seats on the train designed by Arnulfo Maldonado)
in the art of communication without ever having a dialogue.
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| Rhys Coiro, Rob Yang, Camila Cano-Flavia, Nate Mann, Stephanie Weeks and Mia Barron |
Lap Chi Chu designed the effective lighting and Denitsa
Bliznakova the contemporary costumes and while I expected to hear something
resembling train sounds in the background and passing scenery on the screen behind, none was there. I’ll have to revert back to Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind”.
It’s new; it’s different and has great storytelling. If you
are in the mood for a meditative sans action this is a great place to start.
Enjoy.
See you at the theatre.
Dates: Through Sept.15th
Organization: La Jolla Playhouse
Phone: 858-550-1010
Production Type: Comedy
Where: 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037
Ticket Prices: Start at $20.00
Web: lajollaplayhouse.org
Venue: Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre
Photo: Jim Carmody
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