A family-owned pet shop, a mute parrot, and games of dominoes may seem unassuming, but prepare to become entangled with them in the murderous vines of The Artificial Jungle, presented by Lompoc Civic Theatre.
An ironic scene is set in the dimly lit Lompoc Civic Auditorium, where ominous music fills a constructed pet shop, which strikes me as a little whimsical. The juxtaposition, however, actually enhances the danger the audience will soon encounter.
If you like film noir, The Artificial Jungle will certainly grab your attention. Director Derrick Nelson, a longtime member of the Lompoc Civic Theatre, has wanted to bring the play to life for 15 years, ever since he first learned of it during his college studies. After four years of actual preparation, he’s enjoying a celebratory moment in finally seeing it come to life on stage.
Set in a Manhattan pet shop, the play focuses on a family business owned by the Nurdigers: Chester (Bernard Webber), Mother Nurdiger (Noel C. Shields), and wife Roxanne (Alyssa N. Hamlin). They specialize in exotic animals and seedy salesmanship. We get a glimpse of Chester trying to convince an honest policeman, Frankie Spinelli (David Pera), to keep a “talking
parrot” by fooling him through ventrilo-quism. Mother Nurdiger can be heard screeching orders at Roxanne to bring her dirty worms and live rats; the irritation on Roxanne’s face is hard to miss.
The audience is then invited to a Thursday night ritual of dominoes, joined by Officer Spinelli, who also happens to be Chester’s best friend. They share stories of gruesome murders and unsolved crimes. Chester delivers a subtle glimpse of what’s to come as he unassumingly utters the words, “I’ll be the first to go,” referencing the game.
The spotlight soon zeroes in on Roxanne, who’s much younger than the somewhat sordid Chester and is exasperated by his antics. Leading a monotonous life in a mismatched marriage, she immediately seizes the first chance of excitement she comes across: Zachary Slade (Ryan Prieto), a drifter answering a help-wanted sign at the pet shop. It’s no surprise that Roxanne and he form a “special bond.” Armed with a cynical attitude and sexual motivation, they begin to conspire to get rid of the unsuspecting Chester so they can live “happily ever after.”
“Kiss me until I bleed!” Roxanne commands Zach as they sneak moments of intimacy and conniving whispers. The dynamic the couple shares is passionate in their desperation to be together, and childlike in their simplistic attempt to concoct a murder. They make for a hilarious pair to watch as the plot thickens. Hamlin’s femme fatale doesn’t hesitate to issue cold commands to Prieto’s squeamish loverboy persona, and he doesn’t dare go against her words. It’s a perfect imbalance of personalities, much like the one Roxanne shares with Chester.
All the characters are exaggerations to the extreme. Webber is so natural in his role as Chester that the audience is very receptive to his subtle comedic timing. He successfully blurs the lines of being a sleazy, yet unassuming character. It’s hard to discern whether or not the character should be liked, but one thing is certain: His performance is an absolute joy to watch, especially combined with Shields’ riotous Mother Nurdiger. She presents the character with an outrageous enthusiasm and creates an ear-splitting voice that brings out the sort of personality family members avoid during holiday dinners.
At the other extreme is Officer Spinelli, a truly honest policeman played by David Petra, whose calm demeanor offsets the intensity of the other personalities. There’s no doubt in his unobtrusive qualities, and Petra portrays that gentle-minded character effortlessly.
Though Mary Lou Rivetti plays a small role, her entrances and exits as Mrs. Muncie, who comes in weekly to buy a rat for her pet snake, bring comic relief, providing a quick break from the rest of the family.
The Artificial Jungle brings exactly what it intends to deliver: gruesome humor and comedic death. The urban pet shop sets up to become an artificial jungle among the skylines of Manhattan, a disturbing presence hidden in a seemingly innocent home. Despite the play’s predictable outcome, you might still find yourself sitting at the edge of your seat, or laughing at situations you couldn’t imagine ever laughing at otherwise, such as a funeral. I felt that way, but I laughed anyway.
Lompoc Civic Theatre’s latest show is a whirlwind of betrayal, murder, and guilt that’s fast-paced, easy to follow, and definitely worth a summer evening away from normalcy.
Contact freelancer Catherine Shen through Arts Editor Shelly Cone at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Aug 19-26, 2010.