Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Crackling dialogue and convincing acting distinguish Deb Kirkland’s agenda-driven MSTRIAL

• By drediman
• January 10, 2020
• No Comments

Dep Kirkland and Christine Evangelista in Mr. Kirkland’s “MsTRIAL” at New World Stages. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

This week, I had the chance to see Dep Kirkland’s play MsTRIAL Off-Broadway at New World Stages. Mr. Kirkland wrote the legal drama way back in 2002, and it’s just now having its New York premiere. The play tells the story of three hotshot litigators — one senior, two junior — working on a sexy, high profile case. Although their working relationship is casual and openly flirty, the adrenaline-fueled, work-hard/play-hard culture of the firm and the profession at large eventually leads to an unfortunate incident of sexual assault at the workplace.

MsTRIAL is the kind of agenda-driven drama that’s straightforward and best taken at face value. It’s not likely Pulitzer Prize-winning material, but what it does possess is crackling dialogue and a forward momentum that’s imminently watchable (say, like a good episode of “Law & Order”). The play’s portrayal of rape and sexual harassment is particularly relevant today, given the rise of the #MeToo movement in recent years. In this respect, the play may even have been ahead of its time when it initially performed. Although some of the characters’ swaggering behavior may be a bit exaggerated, Mr. Kirkland’s heightened approach certainly makes the play as entertaining as it is socially conscious.

The production has been solidly, at times even slickly directed by Rick Andosca. The principal trio of actors playing the aforementioned firm lawyers – Alan Trinca, Christine Evangelista, and Mr. Kirkland – are excellent. Each has a good sense of their respective character’s motivations and are believable as high-powered corporate lawyers (Mr. Kirkland himself is a former attorney turned playwright). The balance of the cast also features Janie Brookshire and Gayle Samuels, who turn up later in the play in smaller but nonetheless effective turns.

RECOMMENDED

MSTRIAL
Off-Broadway, Play
New World Stages
2 hours (with one intermission)
Through February 2