Crowded Kitchen Players’ latest play “Unspeakable” was billed as “a new melodrama”, but it takes only a few moments to transform itself into a mystery.
Playwright and director Ara Barlieb brings our attention to an unspeakable crime -- child sexual abuse.
He adds some social asides about guns and gays and ends up with the kind of theater I enjoy most -- entertainment that makes you think.
The program notes give some alarming statistics about child sex abuse, so the message of the play is no mystery: We must get in front of child sexual abuse before it happens, not just wait around for the next child to suffer. The message is prevention, not just prosecution.
This sets up the problem confronting the main characters. Has something actually happened' If it has and the only witness is a child who won’t speak, who can we trust to tell us the truth' Do our prejudices about people’s lifestyle destroy our objectivity' Can our rush to judgment cause a misfire of justice'
Of course it can, and Barlieb has produced a disturbing and cautionary demonstration of how even humans with the best of intentions can royally screw things up.
Brian Wendt gives an enigmatic and moving performance as a gay man approaching middle age carrying the burden of an awful secret.
An elegant Trish Cipoletti is his probing and conflicted psychologist who loads her patient’s secret onto her own shoulders, but then must pay a price.
A charismatic puppet stands in for the young boy at the center of everyone’s concern. As the child’s sitter, David Oswald skillfully transforms from a self-assured “uncle” to the shattered victim of his own awful truth.
The puppet, carved by Doug Roysden of Mock Turtle Marionettes, was very ably handled on stage by CKP co-producer Pamela Wallace. It was nearly impossible to take your eyes off of him.
Barlieb also tells us that in this sad scenario, the victim is not the only one assaulted.
Police and other officials are portrayed as ready to blame whoever walks in their door, brow-beating even the righteous citizens to try to help. They seem to think if they flail about long enough, a guilty party will somehow show up.
But has anything happened'
At one point, a detective, convincingly played by Felicia White, defends their approach by saying “We do the best we can,” but we know the play’s message is that they – and we -- must do better.
Amid all this didacticism, the appreciative audience attending Friday’s opening night were treated to bits of humor, even momentarily stopping the action with applause for Tom Harrison’s zealous gun show salesman.
Bruce Brown and Susan Burnette play Wendt’s husband and sister in a funny little family drama, and Carla Hadley got chuckles as a wise-cracking assistant detective.
The cast also includes Judy Evans, Paula Klein, Alexandra Racines, Florence Taylor, Julisa Trinidad and Nancy Walsh.
Aside from some minor opening-night jitters, the play was well acted in four spotlighted sets that doubled for a diner, police and social worker offices, the aforementioned gun show, a park and two apartments. Somehow the 15 actors skillfully negotiated around the furniture and each other without mishap.
Barlieb also showed some evocative videos on the back wall that helped locate the various scenes. Clark Ferguson composed the haunting incidental music.
To complement the mission of the play, Crowded Kitchen announced it was donating all ticket proceeds to Project Child, one of the only local programs that emphasizes abuse prevention over apprehension. Pamela Wallace is program coordinator there.
A non-profit program of Valley Youth House, Project Child is perpetually starved for funds so patrons were encouraged to make personal donations.
To lend a hand, here’s the address in case that you, too, may want to contribute, too: Project Child, 3400 High Point Blvd., Bethlehem, PA 18017. (267) 930-4625. https://www.projectchildlv.org/what-we-are
“Unspeakable” runs at 8 p.m. March 29 and 30 and 2 p.m. March 31 at the Charles A. Brown Ice House, 56 River St., Bethlehem. Tickets: $18 adults, $14 seniors, $8 students. (610) 395-7176.