LEAD HEAVY SKY
nytheatre.com review by John Jordan
August 15, 2003
Lead Heavy Sky, written and directed by Patrick Meagher and
Gregg Bellon (the latter is also in the cast), may suffer from
the fact that its creators are spreading themselves too thin.
The shaky plot involves three video-store-clerk roommates stuck
indoors on a stormy Sunday night (with no sign of a storm,
audibly or visually). They are worried about their fourth
roommate, Leo, who has been "comatose" (not literally) for the
past year, and "much worse this week" as it is the eve of the
first anniversary of his wife’s death.The subplot, which oddly enough involves the protagonist (Leo), is the more interesting story. He is making a last-minute video delivery to Mike, a despondent yet perky AIDS patient. They are two men alone in this world who, for a brief moment, find non-sexual comfort in each other’s company.
The "main" plot basically involves the remaining three roommates whining about their significant others, bickering at each other and playing records. From their discussions, we learn of Leo’s story, but once we see Leo and Mike, we get a repeat of the same exposition we already had. The script is filled with obvious inside jokes, bathroom humor; and Winona Ryder shoplifting jokes.
Matt Hussong and David Benson both do fine work as Leo and Mike respectively. Their scenes together are heartwarming, funny and contain the initial ingredients for a fine play. Unfortunately, the rest of Lead Heavy Sky never reaches this level.
The dual set design by Glenn Cunningham works well, enabling the cast/crew to switch back and forth between the two apartments quickly and efficiently.
