Very Still & Hard to See

The abundance of small theatres in the Southland leads one to tolerate - if not expect – uncomfortable seating, shabby locations, and basic ambiance failures at many local venues. Such is not the case with The Production Company’s current location on Lexington Avenue in Los Angeles, and their most recent offering Very Still & Hard to See proves to be an enjoyable night of entertainment.

The small theatre, just off the main thoroughfare, is an appealing performance space that boasts fine facilities and a pleasant theatrical atmosphere that is well-suited to a vast array of intimate productions. Its well-run front of house and friendly theatrical vibe aptly sets the stage for a production most notable for the well-fused performances and the creative manner in which it is presented.

The story of Very Still & Hard to See is told through interconnected vignettes that revolve around a mysterious hotel built by an architect with a dark secret. The happenings inside the hotel and the people they affect vary from silly and creepy to odd and deeply troubling. With each progressive scene, we see the fallout from one moment of self-indulgence and how that one moment set in motion a disastrous series of supernatural events that affect the lives of scores of individuals. In the end, there is justice for selfish actions and the debts of greed and lust are paid in full, despite the carnage that they leave in their wake. The vehicle by which these heavy themes are delivered is at times fascinating to watch and successfully provides both levity and artistry to the ultimately spooky and disturbing subject matter.

Director Michael Mattews builds the show as an imaginative vessel of tone and movement and sails the audience on a visible and audible river of creativity throughout. The cast delivers from top to bottom with strong, committed characters and well thought out performances across the board. The alluring and evocative CB Spencer provides the show its edge, and matches well the versatile and able Andrew Crabtree in the compelling opening and closing scenes. Other standout performances come from the cute and quirky Katherine Skelton and the fresh faced and talented Coleman Drew. However, it is the work of this performance unit as whole under strong leadership that steers the ship of Very Still & Hard to See.

Author Steve Yockey’s script delivers excellent dialogue, story, and framework. At times, the show wavers between darkly humorous exposition and silly sketch comedy, including an ending that seems somehow unsupported by the flippancy of some of the vignettes. However, Yockey’s strength of concept far outweighs these weaknesses, particularly when supported by a strong cast and artistic vision. Without a doubt, the finest aspect of this production is the movement from beginning to end. The choreography, both in theory and in implementation, takes hold of the viewer and reels them in. The lighting and sound design by Tim Swiss and Cricket S. Myers, respectively, aptly tops off this well-conceived production and demonstrates the considerable technical talents available to theatrical producers in Southern California. While not a traditional presentation,Very Still & Hard to Seeexudes quality storytelling and entertainment. Filled with movement and imagination, the show is far from still and proves to be quite a pleasure to see.

Very Still & Hard to See is produced by The Production Company and runs through July 7th at the Lex Theatre in Los Angeles http://www.theprodco.com/11.html