Review: A.O.K.
Two Roads Theatre, Studio City (through April 30)
by Charles Austin
I hate musicals. In the worst ones, the action stops while the characters sing a song. I have always found them corny. Not so with Anarchy In the Oklahoma Kingdom (A.O.K.), playing at The Two Roads theatre in Studio City Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through April 30th.
The world premier of Erik Ehn’s play, with music by John Ballinger, demonstrates how music can serve as a commentary on the proceedings, punctuating and magnifying the action, like in the few musicals I have seen that I thought worked, All That Jazz, or Coppola’s One From the Heart.
You can call A.O.K. the underside of Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s classic, Oklahoma! This show isn’t about how great things are, but about darker, real-life issues: fetal-alcohol syndrome, illegitimate children, alcoholism, twelve-step programs, despair, resignation, and hopelessness.
Don’t let the subject matter frighten you off, though. A.O.K. works—in some ways. Most memorable of the six fine actors are the two female leads, Tina Alexis (Judy), who is tough, trashy, and sexy, and Nance Little (Lee), who shows a luminous quality when it’s called for, but later turns into an ugly drunk, a transformation that was effective and a bit frightening.
Cathy Thomas-Grant (Grandma) has a beautiful alto and a strong stage presence. Neil Nash (Justin) plays Lee’s farmer husband and the father of Judy’s daughter, Erena. He has a fine voice and a face that looks like a farmer’s, but his haircut is one that Justin could never afford. J. Stephen Brady (Warren) is suitably goofy, and Sam Williams Neuken (Erena) is very strong, but perhaps miscast here.
A.O.K. is about the lives of these folks, told in a non-linear manner. The action shifts forward and backward in time, and while I could usually follow it, this style of presentation was a major problem. The script doesn’t just shift, it meanders. There is no catharsis, no resolution. It’s a slice of life that’s tough to grab onto.
Special mention must be made of the set. In front of a map of Oklahoma is a stage simply set that angles down and out towards the audience. Coupled with a fine group of actors and a score that works, you can feel the despair and almost taste the dust. A.O.K.: not great, but OK. ♦