Los Angeles Review: "The Thanksgiving Play" will Jolt You
Jill Weinlein, Chief Los Angeles Theatre Critic
I was looking forward to seeing “The Thanksgiving Play” written by Larissa Fasthorse (What Would Crazy Horse Do?, Landless) and directed by Michael John Garcés (Urban Rez, The Royale) at the Geffen Playhouse. Unfortunately, I found it very uncomfortable and walked away disappointed. This 90 minute satirical play seemed more like a workshop piece flecked with sophomoric humor and some very disturbing scenes.
FastHorse’s cast of three white thespians and one white director creating an original Thanksgiving message during Native American Heritage Month is filled with cultural missteps, as they try to figure out how to be politically correct.
Jaxton (Noah Bean) is a New Age, vegan, street performer who composts. His gifted Reiki or QiGong healing hands soothes his vegan, teaching artist, girlfriend Logan (Samantha Sloyan). As a drama teacher at Jackson High School, she is excited to direct an original Thanksgiving play after receiving grants to include the Native American experience into her story.
I’m not sure why Fasthorse didn’t include any students from the high school in this piece, since the set by Sara Ryung Clement is a colorful drama room with blue recycle bins, a rainbow COEXIST banner and Theatre Celebrates Diversity sign.
When a screen comes down with a title reading “Childhood 101 Preschool Counting Song,” the four actors (Noah Bean, Alexandra Henrikson, Jeff Marlow and Samantha Sloyan) sing in the melody of “12 Days of Christmas” changing Christmas to Thanksgiving. It was funny at first, especially Tony Sandrew and Alexandra Henrikson’s facial expressions and enthusiasm, yet it was too long.
Hiring a beautiful actress Alicia (Alexandra Henrikson) based on her Native American headshot, to qualify for the art grants, Logan is disappointed when the statuesque Alicia admits she is actually part English, French and maybe even a little Spanish. She is a bit of an air-head who enjoys seductively stretching and staring up at the ceiling. Some of Fasthorse’s “pearls of wisdom” are found in Alicia’s line “People leave you alone when you do nothing.” Another is when she proclaims she isn’t smart, just content, “Smart people can’t be content,” is a line to ponder.
My favorite actor Caden (Jeff Marlow) hired as a historical consultant for the play, was the most likable. When he learns he may be able to write a script and act in the show, he declares “This is the best day in my life.”
There where multiple scenes that caused me to disengage with the play. Besides the lengthy opening song, I had to close my eyes when Logan shoots each actor, dressed as turkey’s, multiple times to kill them. I found this very disturbing. Another odd scene was Alicia standing for over 10 minutes just staring at the ceiling while munching on a snack, while Logan and Jaxton were frontstage. I wish Garcés gave her something else to do.
Another startling scene is when the actors, dressed as pilgrims, flip off the audience. The most horrific is when the actors enthusiastically hold decapitated Native American bleeding heads and kick them around the set as footballs and roll them as a bowling ball. This massacre for sport is a red mess all over the set. Splattering red stage blood is all over the actors, costumes by Garry Lennon and Caden’s script scattered all over the floor. Why Fasthorse and Garcés thought this would go over well with the audience, I will never know. It looks like a high school classroom murder scene.
In the end, director Logan believes that “nothingness” is the only way to do the play. Just silence and empty space, “It won’t piss anyone off” said Logan, except it did. It pissed many of us in the audience who sat and watched for 90 minutes.
The Thanksgiving Play begin Tuesday, October 22 in the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at Geffen Playhouse. Opening night is Thursday, October 31.
THE THANKSGIVING PLAY
Written by Larissa FastHorse
Directed by Michael John Garcés
Previews: Tuesday, October 22 – Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Opening Night: Thursday, October 31, 2019
Closing Night: Sunday, December 1, 2019
CAST
Noah Bean as Jaxton
Alexandra Henrikson as Alicia
Tony Sandrew as Caden
Samantha Sloyan as Logan
PRODUCTION TEAM
Scenic Designer Sara Ryung Clement
Costume Designer Garry Lennon
Lighting Designer Tom Ontiveros
Sound Designer Cricket S. Myers
Production Stage Manager Samantha Cotton
Casting Director Phyllis Schuringa, CSA
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Monday: No performance
Tuesday – Friday: 8:00 p.m.
Saturday: 3:00 and 8:00 p.m.
Sunday: 2:00 and 7:00 p.m.
LOCATION
Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at Geffen Playhouse
10886 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets currently priced at $30.00 - $120.00. Available in person at the Geffen Playhouse box office, by phone at 310.208.5454 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.org. Fees may apply.
Rush tickets for each day’s performance are made available to the general public 30 minutes before showtime at the box office. $35.00 General/$15.00 Student