One man shows with any longevity are generally going to be a tour de force. The ability of one actor to hold the attention of the audience requires a compelling performer and a depth of plot.
Here, Jack Holden portrays a seemingly endless number of characters in describing a true crime in the middle of nowhere Missouri. Holden (who won Best Actor Olivier Award) doesn’t portray each of the 400 residents of the town, and there are myriad characters that seem to be thrown in only to display Holden’s prodigious talents.
Nonetheless, we are drawn in as his first character, an FBI agent, is recounting his investigation into the multiple murders in the town where nothing has ever happened. In fact, the town was apparently so boring that the only sheriff left town, also because he was required to buy his own gun.
The characters assayed run the range from local radio DJs and preachers to butchers and bartenders. Accompanied by a versatile musician John Patrick Elliott, the music accompaniment is very effective in heightening the tension. Moving from lonesome prairie figures reminiscent of Ry Cooder to slashing Hendrix-like chords, the music provides a sonic landscape as the story unfolds.
Moving around the stage in well-oiled choreography, Holden switches gears and characters with stunning alacrity. He co-wrote the script with director Ed Stambollouian.
Whether performing various characters at an ersatz rodeo or the 14 year old child bride that becomes the focus of attention, Holden is formidable.
No single character is played long enough for us to gather much depth, and we almost lose the thread while waiting for the next trick.
But as the second act unfolds, it was important characters that began to take shape. Stambollouian channels his inner wiry electric Neil Young. The plot and web begins to tighten and the climax is thrilling. A brief epilogue shifts the focus slightly, for an effective coda to the evening’s whirlwind performance.
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