‘Gdirl From Gdansk’
Where: Church Street Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW
When: 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday; through March 7
Info: $25 to $30; 703-892-0202; keegantheatre.com
Liam Heylin’s “Gdirl From Gdansk” is a carefully constructed impressionistic play, whose characters — and the links among them — take shape gradually. An episodic work, “Gdirl From Gdansk” appeals primarily through its sense of honesty and authenticity: Heylin’s ear for internal persona and external voice is pitch-perfect.
“Gdirl From Gdansk” is set in Cork, Ireland, in the spring of 2007. The action begins at the center of George Lucas’ spare set. A local barber, Moss (Bruce Rauscher), is cutting the hair of an invisible client. Rauscher is entertaining in the role of Moss, chatty and expansive as he comments on life passing by the windows of his barbershop.
Moss’ next client is Martin (Aidan O’Hare), who reveals bits about himself, including the fact that something exists between him and Marta (Elizabeth Jernigan), a young Polish woman who is the clerk at Moss’ shop. The next scene belongs to Rich (Matthew Keenan), a scruffy young man who sings and rambles on about his 5-year-old daughter, iPods and music.
In the scenes to follow, it becomes apparent that Rich is Martin’s ne’er-do-well brother, who drinks too much, drops in unannounced at his ex-wife’s house, is relegated to staying with his mother, Brid (Sheri S. Herren), and being looked after by Martin.
Directors Mark A. Rhea and Joe Baker unwind the story slowly, treating each scene like a snapshot, letting their talented cast milk the comedy and poignancy from Heylin’s text. Keenan is well-cast as the hapless Rich, who is funny in spite of his churlishness, until his clumsiness turns to brutality. Brid is portrayed incisively by Herren, as a sympathetic woman whose drab existence belies her desire for a more fulfilling life.
O’Hare underplays the role of Martin, a larger-than-life part full of comedy and sensitivity, but his low-key approach succeeds in this production. Jernigan is delightful as Marta, Martin’s Polish girlfriend who came to Cork in 2006 and whose specialty is learning English phrases like “on the ball” and “I gotcha.”
“Gdirl From Gdansk” ends abruptly: There is talk of a popular Polish song, and one almost expects Marta to sing it. But that doesn’t happen in Heylin’s unsentimental world: Instead, Marta and Brid simply meet and embrace, another sincere, authentic moment added to the impression of life, Cork, 2007.
