Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Ruth Stage’s expanded LONE STAR brings depth to the material at the expense of satiric edginess

• By drediman
• December 11, 2023
• No Comments

This weekend, I was able to catch Ruth Stage’s Off-Broadway revival of James McLure’s Lone Star at Theatre Row.  Set in the secluded back lot of a Texas bar, the play spends much of its effort portraying the contentious relationship between two brothers — one a returning Vietnam War veteran struggling to re-establish his life (Roy), the other his somewhat befuddled younger brother (Ray).

Seen on Broadway for a brief stint back in 1979 as part of a double bill, the one-act play can be arguably categorized in the same bucket as many of the works of Sam Shepard and David Mamet. Indeed, in its no-holds-barred depiction of hyper-macho behavior, such plays as Shepard’s True West and Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross quickly come to mind. For the current revival, Ruth Stage’s Matt de Rogatis (who appears in the production as Roy) and Joe Rosario (who directs) have expanded the play’s scope to incorporate the equally tenuous romantic relationship between Roy and his wife Elizabeth, largely through the character’s poetic monologue from McLure’s companion play Laundry and Bourbon. From this broader vantage point (which includes a video montage that brings somber context to the play), Lone Star unfortunately loses some of its satiric edginess, particularly as it relates to its boisterous examination of toxic masculinity.

Even with some of my reservations about imbuing the play with more depth, the production itself has been nonetheless staged by Rosario and acted by his quartet of actors with a sure hand. As Roy, Rogatis gives an excellent performance, effortlessly sinking his teeth into the volatile role. As his less confident younger brother Ray, Dan Amboyer is the perfect foil for Rogatis, delivering an equally ferocious performance. Most importantly, their chemistry is palpable in the show’s core scene. Equally at home in McLure’s topsy-turvy world are Ryan McCartan (amusing as the brothers’ ineffectual friend Cletis), as well as Ana Isabelle (as Elizabeth, delicate yet steely in her own way). In summary, it’s clear from their collective work that the material is close to their hearts, particularly for Ruth Stage heads Rosario and Rogatis.

SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED

LONE STAR
Off-Broadway, Play
Ruth Stage at Theatre Row
1 hour, 35 minutes (without an intermission)
Through December 23