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Theater

March 20, 08

Touchy Subject

Blackbird tackles pedophilia in compelling production

By Dan Hudak

Gordon McConnell and Mary Rasmussen confront child molestation in Blackbird. Photo by George Schiavone

What if, as Blackbird at Gablestage challenges us to consider, a 40-year-old man could truly fall in love with a 12-year-old girl and have that love reciprocated?

Writer David Harrower doesn’t condone the situation, but, under the direction of Joseph Adler, Blackbird is an interesting exploration of the emotion and betrayal that manifests between two people who should not be in love. Fortunately for us, the story is set 15 years after the improper affair, as the afflicted Una confronts the much older Ray at his office and the two converse in a messy cafeteria.

This is the first time they’ve spoken since she was a child, and to say it’s an awkward encounter would be an understatement. “How many other 12-year-olds have you had sex with?” she screams, as he denies that he recognizes her.

As the conversation progresses, intriguing revelations and brutal honesty are spoken by both parties; you expect Una to bare her soul in anger — “you left me in love,” she says — but you don’t expect such a heartfelt, almost rational explanation from Ray.

When asked if he’s a habitual offender who “targeted” her for sex when they first met, Ray is quick to respond that she was “a neighbor’s daughter who was annoyed at the world that day, not a target.” Oddly and unexpectedly, between this and other candid moments, we understand why he did it.

Later in the show, Ray gets a red stain on his shirt above his heart, and the symbolism is clear: He has suffered because of this too, and even though Harrower never apologizes for Ray, he’s at least willing to explore Ray’s side of the story, which is a courtesy many would not extend to a former child molester.

As Ray, Gordon McConnell doesn’t give us much to like (and how could he?), but he does ably provide a very complex character with conflicted emotions. McConnell, who won a Carbonell for playing a murderous pedophile at Gablestage in Frozen in 2005, has an uncanny ability to present loathsomeness and understanding at the same time, and he’s so good that he makes it look simple when it’s anything but.

Mary Rasmussen isn’t quite as polished. Her Una is understandably tormented, but opening night jitters made her delivery a bit stilted. She is young and relatively inexperienced; but during certain times (including a very impressive and lengthy monologue), she shows she has the acting chops to handle the difficult material. As she grows into the role, her performance likely will improve.

The technical aspects are solid. Adler moves things along at a brisk 80-minute pace (with no intermission), and Lyle Baskin’s set design is a slightly sloppier interpretation of the post-lunch mess in any cafeteria. Ellis Tillman’s costumes are appropriately middle-class, with Ray in a shirt, tie and slacks and Una in an unflattering dress.

Loyal Gablestage patrons are used to controversial fare, but Blackbird’s relatively open-minded perspective on pedophilia may take the “liberal” and “edgy” tenets of the theater a bit too far. Still, no good theater comes from cowardice, and the daring decision to take on a play of this nature has resulted in a thought-provoking and compelling production.

Blackbird is showing through March 30 at Gablestage, 1200 Anastasia Ave., Coral Gables. For tickets and information, call 305-445-1119 or visit gablestage.org.

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