'Shopping...' rough and real

Cast of latest Theatre II production represents loneliness of desperate relationships

Dave Kim / senior photographer "Shopping and Fucking"

Welcome to "Shopping and Fucking," the most disturbing and daring show to ever hit Theatre II.

From the moment one walks in, the experience is already something very different. With minimalist design carried out to the fullest, the audience is seated on the floor in the center of the room, surrounded by black curtains.

The curtains open at three different locations during the show. To the front is a makeshift apartment with a couch, a television and various magazines strewn about. To the right is a table and two plastic chairs and to the left is a stuffed mustard-colored recliner.

The audience pivots from point to point at red-light-special cues to witness various scenes happening in the three areas.While this is an interesting idea, rotating every 10 minutes can get mildly annoying and floor seating always is rough on the tailbone. But the overall effect achieved is that of the audience being right in the middle of the conflict, involved up to their neck in the scams and schemes and screams. It is unsettling but in a good way.

"Shopping and Fucking" is a representation of the loneliness of desperate relationships, doing nothing when it means everything and doing everything in the hope that it means absolutely nothing. It is a rough glimpse into a loveless life, and it is not meant to be viewed by the faint-hearted or the weak-stomached.

On a kill-or-be-killed planet, these characters refuse to die any time soon. They go through murder threats, first kisses, drug use, phone sex and verbalized and actualized fantasy. It is intense and volcanic, continuously erupting into fights and fists and screaming.

The script is propelling. British terms like "bloke" and "mum" pay homage to the British playwright, Mark Ravenhill, and convincing performances by the actors keep it from being distracting. Each scene is individually climactic, and just when you think that your emotions will collapse, another character self-destructs.
Sophomore Bryce Gerlach gives a particularly strong performance as the lead, Mark. Gerlach's character's struggle to exist as a fully realized homosexual in a world of empty, graphic sex is paralyzing.

His repeated plea, "Someone has to sort me out," applies not only to his desire for someone to interact with him on a personal level, but also creates a metaphor for shopping — we shop for partners like we shop for jeans, looking for the perfect fit that we never may find.

Freshman Kevin Murphy as Robbie gives a mesmerizing monologue about trying to discover a beautiful and happy world in the middle of chaos and drugs and disorder. He effectively is contrasted by junior Tim Bambara's portrayal of Gary, the money-is-everything, power-grubbing bad guy who cries openly one moment and then threatens to beat up Robbie for not getting him a clean handkerchief in the next.

"Shopping and Fucking" is a devastating, exhausting production to watch, and the energy of the cast is to be commended. It is not a beautiful show, but it is rough and it is real, and it will leave you pained, panting and squirming.
One thing is for sure. There isn't a whole lot of shopping.

"Shopping and Fucking" runs from April 17 to 20 at 8 p.m. with a midnight show April 19.