KEY POINTS:
Two rarely performed plays from the 1970s offer a stark introduction to the verbal pyrotechnics of one of America's most highly regarded writers.
The Woods and Re-union were both written in the early stages of Mamet's career before he achieved stardom with Glengarry Glen Ross and penned the acclaimed screenplays for an eclectic range of movies that include Wag the Dog and the Brian de Palma version of The Untouchables.
The early works showcase Mamet's acute sensitivity to the rhythms of everyday speech with dialogue that is both naturalistic and deeply poetic.
His characters are totally absorbed by the trivialities of everyday existence but these mundane details obliquely reveal a mess of conflicting emotions and repressed desires.
Of the two plays The Woods seems most firmly rooted in the seventies with Pinteresque dialogue and an absurdist style that recalls Samuel Beckett.
The action is confined to the porch of a lakeside cabin where a pair of young lovers share fragmented memories and engage in endless, repetitive debates about what they should do.
The minimalist structure creates a challenge for the actors and Director Stuart Devenie coaxes powerful performances from a pair of young actors. Amy Waller is particularly engaging as she tries to lure her impassive partner into her fondly held illusions about rural life.
She initially appears desperate to please but eventually finds the strength to reject the half-hearted commitment which is all that her man seems capable of giving.
Andrew Munro in the role of Nick also carries off an impressive transformation that sees his robotic monotone abruptly dissolve in an explosion of inarticulate rage.
The Woods is a difficult play that avoids the consolation of a neat resolution. By contrast Re-Union is a more optimistic piece in which an estranged father and daughter struggle to find a way to heal the scars left by a broken marriage.
Amy Waller shows her versatility by pairing up with veteran actor Mick Innes who throws himself into the role of a hard-ball alcoholic who might have wandered off the set of a Martin Scorsese movie.
The two plays are neatly linked by Matt Kleinhans' simple but effective set design. The double header is well suited to the intimate space of The Basement (formerly Silo) and the show's transfer will enhance the Glen Eden Playhouse's reputation for presenting challenging theatre.
What: The Woods & Re-union by David Mamet
Where: The Basement / Glen Eden Playhouse 21- 26 April
