Liz Lauren
Brian Mani and Sarah Day.
The Unexpected Man, a slight but charming play from French playwright Yasmina Reza (Art and God of Carnage), officially opened American Players Theatre’s 2017 season with a matinee performance in the Touchstone indoor theater on June 17.
The play serves as a perfect vehicle for APT core company members Brian Mani and Sarah Day. It can’t quite be described as a meet-cute scenario because even though two characters share a train car from Paris to Frankfurt, much of the play's tension is derived from the question of whether they will ever utter a word to each other. In the program they are simply called The Woman and The Man, but during the course of the play, we do learn their names. Mani is Paul Parsky, a novelist with plenty on his mind and Day is Martha, an avid fan of his work. In fact she has his latest novel, The Unexpected Man, in her tote bag. We hear their inner monologues as they sit across from each other. Both are intrigued by the other, but uncertain how to break the ice.
Martha debates whether meeting Paul will ultimately disappoint her because, as she says, “my desires have always outstripped whatever actually happens.” Meanwhile, Parsky invents a complex scenario about Martha’s trip to Germany: “Her lover’s a conductor…he’s about to conduct Verklärte Nacht.” Two cultured and erudite strangers on a train thinking out loud and tossing off references about composers, writers and artists might sound stilted in theory but in execution, the suspense is palpable.
Martha is tougher than she first appears. Day, whose eyes shine bright above enviable cheekbones, is on top of her game. She’s particularly good during a monologue about a lengthy and flirtatious friendship that was ruined when the object of her affection married and started a family. Her mood alternates between sorrow over the death of a dear friend and uncertainty as she tries to determine what to do about the book in her bag and its author, sitting across from her. She knows she's looking good in her smart navy jacket as she smooths it across her hips and runs her fingers through her hair, which was just cut to her liking.
Mani, always a compelling performer, is especially fun to watch in this role, whether he is divulging (with a fair amount of self-awareness) his increasing bitterness, bemoaning the ravages of insomnia, ranting about a potential son-in-law or extolling the virtues of Ex-Lax. His bravado masks some self-doubt as he reels from recent criticism of his writing. With gestures small (a dismissive flick of his hand underscoring a sardonic statement) and large (a jubilant jig), Mani commands the space. Knowing that his ideal reader (smart, but not afraid to challenge and question) is sitting across from him provides an urgency and ache.
Jeffrey Kmiec’s set design conveys a train car simply and effectively with two wooden benches facing each other on a raised platform, while rectangles of light (from lighting designer Jesse Klug) serve perfectly as windows. Rachel Laritz’s costumes are exactly what these two should be wearing on their journey. Sound designer Joe Cerqua shows ingenuity and restraint, realistically and subtly evoking a sense of place.
Director Laura Gordon carefully crafts the tension between the two passengers, which gives the play more heft. Will she pull out his book? How will he respond to that action? If she reads the book in front of him will she also reveal that she is an admirer of his writing or play it cool?
There’s more to The Unexpected Man than what’s on the surface. The play, with its nuanced performances, addresses the complexities of being human and connecting with others, particularly as we age. It’s a wonder that we ever find our way to summon up the bravery to be vulnerable with someone new.
