Review
I Coulda Been A Kennedy
Players Theater
August 11, 2006
VanLoan
vanloan@nyconstage.org


The Rude Mechanicals one of the most dynamic Off-Broadway theater companies in NYC is making their Fringe debut with Dennis Trainor, Jr.'s exciting new play I Coulda Been a Kennedy. In this sweeping, ambitious work, Mr. Trainor, Jr. takes on the concept of political dynasties in American politics and how they are created. He uses the metaphor of the insect, the cicadas, as a jumping off place. A native of the Northeast, the male insect attracts a mate by beating his wings against his chest producing a great buzzing sound. After mating, the eggs hatch and the newborn bury themselves in the ground and reemerge seventeen years later.

The three sections of the play are seventeen years apart: 1970, 1987 and 2004. Scenes shift back and forth during these time periods yet all the action takes place in the living room of a suburban home in Montauk. During the 1970's, the O'Reilly clan (who own the house) have decided to move up the social ladder. With the family patriarch, Bull slowly dying, son Jack schemes to invest the families' fortunes into grooming new born Devin (son of Jack's brother, Robert) into a major politician. Robert leaves behind his counterculture ways and the other reservations of the family are put aside towards the common goal of the 'making of a president'.

As the years progress, Devin is not quite keeping up his end of the bargain. However, he meets and become involved with a "Kennedy" (actually from Ethel's side of the family).This relationship proves to be luckless as does the O'Reilly family fortunes (Jack is arrested for insider trading). In 2004, the Montauk compound is now owned by the Greco family whose daughter Holly has brought home her new boyfriend named Devin O'Reilly. The political machinations of the last seventeen years have now come full circle with political activist Holly and former contender Devin plotting to make "history book material".

Both impeccably acted and staged, I Coulda... is a major success for all involved. Director Ted Sluberski (a Williamstown alumnus) keeps the action fluid and sharp enough that we are never confused with the time shifts. He elicits outstanding performances from the entire ensemble with Ray McDavitt as Francis Greco and Maggie Low as Grace O'Reilly standing out.

The triumph of the evening belongs to author Trainor, Jr. however. The thrust of the piece is exhilarating with just enough period details to keep one on their toes (Vietnam, Iran-Contra, the Bush/Kerry race). The dialogue has a clever, edgy quality with a distinct leftist/capitalist slant that befits the O'Reilly clan's social station. The ending needs a major reworking as the political/generational conflict gets a bit muddled. With this fine tuning, I Coulda... could become a major contender.

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