THE KILLING BY WILLIAM INGE - NEW YORK TIMES THEATER REVIEW

Richard Termine for The New York Times

Neal Huff, left, and J. J. Kandel in “The Killing” by William Inge.

August 8, 2009

THEATER REVIEW | SUMMER SHORTS 3

A Death Requested, and Other Tales

By KEN JAWOROWSKI

After watching “The Killing” by William Inge, it’s best to take a slow, quiet walk home. This is a play that benefits from reflection, a story that sticks in the mind and demands further thought, no matter how dark those thoughts may be.

The play, which languished among a stash of Inge’s unproduced works at a college library, is making its premiere in Series B of Summer Shorts 3, a program that, on the whole, acquits itself better than Series A, with which it runs in repertory at 59E59 Theaters.

The first piece, Carole Real’s “Don’t Say Another Word,” stays true to its title, jumping into a couple’s droll conversation just as the going gets good, and leaving as soon as the jokes run dry. Straightforward and enjoyable, it’s a smart way to begin a collection of one-acts.

“The Sin Eater” by Keith Reddin, however, is imprudent on every level. A modern retelling of “Electra,” it is misguided in concept (the original is too wide-ranging to be raced through in a brief time) and execution (the clichéd dialogue is delivered in a mishmash of styles).

A sharper use of the short form can be found in “If I Had,” Roger Hedden’s tale of two landscapers, one of whom longs to inflict harm on a rich client. The play delivers quite a bit: a little risk, a couple of laughs and an idea or two to consider. While it’s not a flawless work, its efforts are certainly worthwhile.

Then comes “The Killing.”

In the play Mac (Neal Huff) brings Huey (J. J. Kandel) home after the two meet in a bar. Within a few minutes Mac reveals that he wants Huey to kill him, ending a life of deep despair. Knowing that Inge struggled with depression and committed suicide adds an even stronger undercurrent to Mac’s plea, and that awareness, combined with the tension of whether the request will be carried out, leads to a play that is both bleak and riveting.

José Angel Santana’s direction is wisely restrained, and the two actors deliver truly heartbreaking performances. “The Killing,” a superb piece of theater, is given an intelligent production here. It’s a story of loneliness and great pain, one that explores the saddest parts of the soul.

Series B of Summer Shorts 3 is in repertory through Aug. 27 at 59E59 Theaters, 59 East 59th Street, Manhattan; (212) 279-4200, 59e59.org

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"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."