THEATER

Glengarry Glen Ross

"It is not a world of men" seems an odd way to describe Glengarry Glen Ross, a play written by a male about males. But when Richard Roma (James Carmichael '01) uses this phrase in one of his meditations on the facts of life, it seems to convey exactly what this play is all about. Admirably directed by Jerry Ruiz '00, the talented cast of Glengarry Glen Ross creates a captivating depiction of the machinations of the business world, wherein the players sacrifice their integrity in order to gain ultimate control.

Written by acclaimed playwright and director David Mamet, Glengarry escorts us to Chicago-- the author's native city. The story revolves around a sales contest, initiated by the real estate agency at which all the characters are employed. The vicious competition that ensues culminates in crime and betrayal as the agents manipulate each other in a struggle to climb to the top of the office pecking order.

Right from the start, Glengarry presents some difficult challenges. Ruiz, known for his cleverly farcical, physical style of comedic direction in productions such as The Misanthrope and How the Other Half Loves, confronted and solved the problem of how to find subtler, darker and more naturalistic ways of presenting his characters. As Dave Moss, Christian Roulleau '01 is proof of Ruiz's success. He appears to have mastered the naturalistic intonations and body language called for by Glengarry. Although, at first glimpse, Roulleau's character seems to be in danger of becoming rehearsed, soon he expertly shapes and surfaces the dark, manipulative undercurrent of Moss's persona, as well as his jealousy and frustration. David Waller '00 occasionally flounders but eventually pulls through in his well-defined portrayal of John Williamson, the white-bread office manager whose position of power and seemingly cold, tattle-tale tactics render him an object of both envy and scorn by the other sellers.

Another chief challenge of the production is the quick, stop-and-go language and the equally rapid change of tactics behind each line. Glengarry Glen Ross follows in the playwright's tradition of plays such as Sexual Perversity in Chicago and the Pulitzer Prize-winning American Buffalo, famous for the fast-paced, in-your-face language that Mamet prefers to call "poetry" rather than realism. Ruiz directs his cast according to Mamet's concept of "practical aesthetics," which emphasizes intention and reaction. The actor's mind must work quickly, switching from one tactic to another in order to get what he wants. Although there are moments where the actors seem to lose the freshness of the moment, they manage to conjure up the intense and dynamic interaction that the aesthetic requires.

Finally, Glengarry is a difficult piece to achieve because of its self-conscious themes. It is a play about taking control, about manipulation, about struggling to survive. Ruiz uses visual symbols and characterization to avoid a potential pitfall in this essential part of the production. The hunger for money and power is symbolized in Ruiz's constant emphasis on food throughout the production. It also indicates that no matter how different or superior they may profess to be, the characters all share the same drives, needs and desires. Number one sales agent Richard Roma (James Carmichael '00) has several of the most telltale thematic passages, which stick out like neon signs on a deserted highway. For the most part, Carmichael handles these passages with ease, resisting the temptation to be preachy and melodramatic. Carmichael crafts an exceptional portrayal of Roma, the clean-cut "nice guy" whose smooth-talking is so smooth that he even takes in the audience, leaving them all the more crushed at his final betrayal. Carmichael displays an impressive range of emotions that protect his character from stagnancy. He becomes, in one sense, a key figure of opportunist temptation in the play - a devil swathed in the borrowed robes of opportunity.