The Twentieth Century Way
written by Tom Jacobson
directed by Michael Michette
Rattlestick Theatre
July 9, 2015
Production website     💉💉 out of 5.

The premise of the The Twentieth Century Way holds incredible promise – HELD incredible promise.  Based on a fascinating piece of history of 1914, The Twentieth Century Way tells the true story of two actors, Warren and Brown, who where were hired in 1914 by the Long Beach Police Department to entrap gay men in the public bathrooms.  Brown, a young man with markedly sweet looks and Warren, an older man with classic ruggedness set about to flirt with men that were giving them the eye.  They would lead them into the stalls of the men’s rooms and silently encourage them to to place their penis through a small hole  – “glory hole” between the stalls.  Once the “pervert” inserted his penis.  The actors, now vice detectives, would mark their penis with indelible ink and thus secure their arrest.
Wow!  It is hard to imagine a more delicious, cruel, theatrical story of using the gifts of the actor to attack others and pray upon their very fragile, closeted passions!   Actors hired to arrest gay men?  How crazy is that?

I settled in my seat ready for the story – and of course anticipating the forewarned nudity in the script . . . The setting: a simply backstage with costume rack and ghost light ablaze – – then the trouble arrived – – the actors.  To begin, they were playing a size of acting meant for the mid-town theatres failing to realize that they were in the oh so tiny space of the Rattlestick Theater.  I realize they are ACTORS playing ACTORS –  but  come on  – get a tape measure and check out the size of the space.  Less is best!

The play then began to blur styles from many other plays.  I got the two-hander of Mamet’s Life in the Theatre.  I got the let’s change costumes and characters all the time from Irma Vep.  I got the Waiting for Godot now played as Waiting for the Director/Vice Squad.   Clearly any one of these would be a fine ticket into the play – -but, come on, for 90 minutes one style would be sufficient!

I never was invited to be part of the story.  They played at me and never with me.  I was never led to care for these people and their nefarious deeds.  They were so busy grabbing costume pieces off of the rack and pushing as many stereotyped characters as they could at us – – that I just got tired.  And why must every stereotype from a Scotsman to a news reporter be done in such a juvenile poorly conceived way.  And why did so many of them sound like bellowing pirates.  I get the stereotypes guys, but at least be a good mimic!

Okay, I not digging the play.  I’ve checked my watch 4 times during the play to plan the exit – – but I am thinking perhaps the promised nudity will redeem the play.  I ain’t so uppity that I cannot appreciate a little flesh!  Perhaps art will be found there.  And yes, in the end, we get the real deal but it is to late to be anything but gratuitous.  True, they have become more interesting without their clothes – but why naked?  I believe they felt they were breaking barriers of art and vulnerability, and true the story finally became quite and perhaps felt –  but sadly too late for me.