Proof shows no lack of ambition

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      By David Auburn. Directed by Raugi Yu. Presented by Mnemonic Theatre Productions. At the Cultch’s Culture Lab on Thursday, May 30. Continues until June 8

      The play is alienating and the production is overblown, but some serious talent shines through.

      In David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize–winning script, 25-year-old Catherine struggles with the death of her father, Robert. Robert was a math genius who suffered from mental illness, and the play’s big question is: how much of her dad’s mathematical brilliance has Cathy inherited and how much of his madness?

      The script sucks up to its audience: Cathy, the character we’re asked to identify with, just may be one of the most original minds of our time. At the nub, there’s thematic interest here: lots of us are frightened by the potential force—and darkness—of our unleashed selves. But Auburn explores this idea through a series of cliché-ridden, sometimes condescending scenes. Cathy’s sister Claire, who’s not as smart as her dad and sibling are, is, of course, a small-minded bitch who wants to squelch her sister’s talent. And maybe all Cathy needs to save her from her fear is the love of a good—and handsome—man. Hal, a former doctoral student of Robert’s, obligingly shows up to fulfill the role.

      In this Mnemonic Theatre production, director Raugi Yu takes Auburn’s commercial, naturalistic script and ramps it up. When Cathy gets upset, lights flash on the set, warning of incipient insanity, and we hear crazy, spooky whispering. It’s heavy-handed.

      In the midst of these unpromising circumstances, Josette Jorge, who’s playing Cathy, delivers an excellent performance. Jorge’s work is often quiet, and always responsive—authentic and grounded. She nails the character’s wit, and, in her hunched physicality, her uncertainty and defensiveness.

      In his best moments, Minh Ly, who’s playing Hal, matches Jorge’s simplicity. In the early scenes on opening night, Ly worked too hard at making Hal perky and the results were jerky and too broadly comic. As the evening matured, however, Ly trusted stillness more and brought a sexy, tender vulnerability to the character.

      Jim Preston (Robert, who appears in visions and flashbacks) also relaxed as the evening went on, although he lacks the gravitas the role requires. And Andrea Yu overacts as Claire, gesticulating constantly, and mercilessly judging the character with every line reading. Director Yu must take a good deal of the responsibility for the excesses in the evening’s performances.

      Besides Jorge, the other star of the night is set designer Shizuka Kai. The set’s logistics are a little odd: we’re on the front porch of a house, and characters seem to leave the home by entering it. But the set’s aesthetics are cool. Veneerlike strips suspended in blackness indicate the wall, and the front window of the house is a video screen. That screen works best with still images—moving ones get distracting—but the concept is innovative and the look is handsome.

      Mnemonic Theatre’s production of Proof doesn’t always succeed, but it’s ambitious in some ways and that’s a good thing.

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