‘Dying City’ Review: Indie Theatre Shortcomings Can’t Ruin Solid Performances

The Seeing Place Theatre’s revival of Christopher Shinn’s “Dying City” makes a terrible first impression, but ultimately, thanks in part to wonderful acting by Erin Cronican and Brandon Walker, manages to win a good piece of its respectability back.

Many of the problems crippling the production, such as the lackluster set, sound and lighting, are a byproduct of independent theatre and do nothing to hurt the overall appeal and charismatic performances by Cronican and Walker.

If you are a fan of theatre, you’ll appreciate their performances and be able to look past the frugal set, with no walls and some used furniture serving as the only backdrop for what is essentially a series of incredibly emotional conversations between three people that change their lives forever. Add in the drama of post 9/11 New York City and you have yourself a production that can be quite dramatic at times.

But that’s when the Indie element rears its ugly head. The Sergeant Theatre is essentially a large, cold, fourth floor room. If the story’s plot isn’t your idea of entertainment, you’ll quickly be turned off and the aesthetics of the theatre don’t help.

Regardless, enough cannot be said about the performance of Walker. Able to bounce back and forth between identical (but so different) twins Craig and Peter, Walker is solid and convincing. Much like the play itself, Walker was incredibly annoying at first as Peter- to the point of nearly being intolerable in the performance’s first scene. His huffing and puffing, hand gestures and worried ways make him a character that’s easy to hate. He’s the type of person who talks too loud while on the line at Starbucks or on a crowded L train.

But after the first scene or so, after he’s able to tell a part or two of his story, you begin to understand him and his ways. This character has been through a ton- Walker’s performance reflects that realistically and compassionately.

Simply put, you probably know someone like Peter. You may even love someone like him.

Once Walker shifts to Craig, you see another side of the actor as well. That’s when his acting chops begin to appear. That’s when “Dying City” begins to work as well as it possibly can.

Although there was one occasion where he appeared to flub a line (making it seem that one character slept with a man, when Cronican quickly said after that it was a woman), Walker was exceptional. Cronican’s shifts in emotion are also incredibly effective, as she is able to go from confident one second to an emotional wreck the other. Between the two performers, there’s so much emotional dynamite on the stage that at some points, you’re just waiting for something to blow up. These moments are were the show is the most enjoyable.

But away from their performances, the script’s pace is plodding. If you don’t connect the dots that Peter and Craig and identical brothers and that there are shifts in time, it’s easy to get lost. All in all, it’s the slow-moving plot that hurts this production the most.

Simply put, The Seeing Place Theatre deserves a better location to showcase their talent and “Dying City,” despite no real need for lavish scenery and production values, may not be the best way to show off their talented ensemble of actors. Performers the likes of Cronican and Walker would thrive in larger venues and in different productions- it is on the back of their skills that this production is able to stay afloat and at times, thrive.