‘The Pain and the Itch’ at The Players’ Ring

“The Pain and the Itch,” by Bruce Norris, starts at the beginning of a Thanksgiving holiday. The nervous Clay (Andrew Fling) and his wife Kelly (Whitney Smith) have invited their Muslim neighbor Mr. Hadid (Chris Walters) over, as he speaks little and only to them. The audience is not sure if he’s really there or if he’s some kind of figment of the couple’s imagination. Since every word that falls from his lips seems to be steeped in sheer practicality, guests wonder if he’s there to remind Clay and Kelly to shave their lives down to the simpler things.

At the play’s beginning, Clay is holding his newborn son and is clearly reluctant to hand him over to his demanding wife. He’s proud yet slightly emasculated by his status as a stay-at-home dad, living off his wife’s lucrative job—especially when he thinks about his brother Cash (Matt Scofield), a plastic surgeon. Not to mention Cash’s gorgeous and wildly fashionable 26-year-old Russian wife Kalina (Elizabeth Krane), who has the energy of a child and the outspokenness of someone who has nothing left to fear.

Then there’s Kayla (Alana Thyng), Clay and Kelly’s young daughter. Thyng gives a creepy disturbed quality to her mute character, but displays joy, as well. Kalina and Kayla enjoy each other’s company so much that they seem to be of the same age and generation. One minute they’re playing chase, the next minute Kalina, much to Kelly’s horror, is giving Kayla a “sexy makeover—not model sexy makeover, just every day sexy makeover.” (This is after they’ve stopped Kalina from playing with pretend guns and practicing karate with the child.)

Kayla is never without her fancy plastic backpack and likes to give people presents she’s picked up (things like a huge screwdriver and, in one case, a hypodermic needle). She never says a word and has a habit of scratching her crotch, which has her father terribly worried. It’s never stated whether the child is in some way challenged. In fact, at one point, her father puts his arms around her and proudly states, “This is the future!”

The tension between the two brothers and their wives is thick. The brothers compete, and the jovial, adorable Kalina endures Kelly’s barbs until she finally lets loose with some facts about how hard life can really be—what she’s managed to survive, and how Kelly’s complaints involve things that are relatively small. And no show would be complete without a whacky Mom who just doesn’t get it, here played by Carol Davenport, who portrays the mother of Clay and Cash. Every question she asks is another glimpse into the absolute denial that makes up her psyche.

All in all, it’s your typical Thanksgiving. The script is beautifully written by Bruce Norris, and every syllable rings true, although the dialogue goes off on crazy tangents, much like real-life conversations.

Director Todd Hunter, as usual, not only chose a script that pushes the envelope, but stages the show beautifully, a particular challenge at the Ring. Hunter also cast the show brilliantly.

With the character of Clay, Fling could easily have created a sob story waiting to happen, but instead he has audience members rolling on the floor with almost every line in the first act (Act Two takes a more serious tone). The incredibly versatile Krane, as Kalina, is a free open child one minute, then in the next she casually describes how she was kidnapped by soldiers, raped at a young age and given a disease. The next minute she is furiously storming out on her husband, only to return dead drunk. She is a whirlwind of emotions and each one is true and honest.

As Cash, Scofield is bitter and equally casual, having accepted his lot in life. Whether he’s happy or not doesn’t seem to enter the picture. As Kelly, Smith is high-strung, demanding, emasculating and, when she goes too far, suddenly rips open like a humbled child.  Davenport is both endearing and annoying—endearing because she loves her family so much and annoying because she pushes too hard to sugar-coat everything. Hunter’s sculpting of these ingredients creates a real family—real laughter, real anxiety, real pain and plenty of itchiness.

Special kudos goes to Aaron Hutto for his incredible stage and lighting design. He creates an actual home right there on the stage, and the only time anyone notices the lighting is during the startling quick changes, when Cash and Kelly are speaking to Mr. Habib, letting us know that there’s something unusual going on with that character. Stage manager Peter Michaud runs the show like a well oiled clock, so precisely does he time his duties. Finally, Chrissie Penney and Jasmin Hunter have brought the play into the digital age by creating a FaceBook page.
 
“The Pain and the Itch” will run through November at The Players’ Ring, 105 Marcy St., Portsmouth. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. Call 603-436-8123.