Theatrical Tendencies Intriguingly Tense ‘The Submission’

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Theatrical Tendencies' ‘The Submission’

Theatrical Tendencies' ‘The Submission’

Shaleeha G'ntamobi’s new play about an alcoholic Black mother would be really, really interesting if G'ntamobi wasn’t a complete work of fiction herself. She’s a pen name being used by playwright Danny Larsen in Jeff Talbott’s dark satire The Submission. The contemporary comedy makes its way to an unflinchingly intimate stage this month as Theatrical Tendencies continues its season. 

Talbott’s sharp, little script requires a very tight ensemble to play-up the comedy of a series of uncomfortable exchanges. Director Mark E. Schuster brings together a nuanced, little quartet of actors in a deeply engrossing 90 minutes. Christopher Orth has a respectable grasp of the very specific confluence of empathy, arrogance and obliviousness needed to make Danny seem both comically insensitive and compassionate at the same time. Jaleesa Joy has a cuttingly sharp wit as Emilie—a Black actor he has hired to stand-in as the fictitious playwright. Joy and Orth navigate some pretty tricky territory. Emilie takes issue with Danny equating the problems of being gay with the challenges of being a Black woman. Danny feels as though Emilie is trivializing the problems of gay men. 

What might have been a colossal mistake on more than one level gradually evolves into something else through a series of intriguingly tense moments including exchanges between the playwright and his boyfriend (cleverly played by Kevin J. Gadzalinski) and his best friend (Matthew Umstot) Talbot’s script slides deftly through some very complicated and intricate issues. Schuster has done an excellent job of navigating the cast through some of the more intricate complexities of the script in a sharply paced dramatic comedy.

Theatrical Tendencies’ production of The Submission runs through Feb. 25 at Inspiration Studios, 1500 S. 73rd St. in West Allis. For more information, visit theatricaltendencies.com.