‘Dedalus Lounge’ Review: Cute, But So Much More

The American premier of “Dedalus Lounge” at the Interart Theatre Annex begins as a cute play about three lifelong friends in search of their own place in society that then evolves in to a production with profound social commentaries on the current confused state of life.

Written by the Irish playwright Gary Duggan and directed by Chris Henry, the play features quick and witty Sorkin-like dialogues that are impressively delivered without missing a beat by three brilliant actors- Anthony Rapp, James Kautz, and Dee Rosciolli. Each actor brings their best to this memorable work of theatre. It cleverly comments on difficulties of life today with the many confused states of identity and sexuality, the latter displayed with climactic scene of horrific homophobia.

Rapp plays Danny, a sexually repressed and indecisive dreamer with nervous restless fingers. Danny is indecisive, always in doubt and struggles to form a Queen tribute band, which he unconditionally believes is his ticket out of Dublin. Rapp, best known for his role as Mark Cohen in the Broadway and film versions of “Rent,” is on point in his performance as Danny. He gains your sympathy and pity as the everyman with lofty dreams, but little courage to go after them. Rapp talents as a singer is put to use in the many dream sequences where Danny imagines himself as the late Queen’s lead singer Freddie Mercury. Rapp’s energy in these musical numbers and creative take to display a character’s internal image of himself, make the otherwise bland and boring Danny lively and organic.

Kautz, co-founder and the artistic director of The Amoralists Theatre Company, plays Daragh, and his notably starts before you even take your seat when he and a theatre staff member get into a raucous argument after he is asked not to smoke inside the waiting area, then Daragh leaves in a fury as he slams his open palm on the door. This early glimpses of Daragh leaves one startled from the energy and confused from his lack of self control until inside the theatre where he is discovered flat on his back on top of the bar, with his lit cigarette perched between his lips, while he patiently waits for his cute to start the show. Kautz is intense and phenomenal with his character from start to finish. He is the perfect mold for the misfit of the three friends. With his strong body language, fervid attitude in every word, Daragh wrangles your emotions until the very end.

Rosciolli plays the third leg of the triangle with Delphine, a fragile young-woman who is as mixed about her life as her friends as she struggles with the loss of her grandmother while she dates a married moneybag man. Over the course of the ninety-minute production of “Dedalus Lounge” Rosciolli’s performance as the amiable Delphine is the standout performer in a very well cast production. We witness Delphine undergo several emotional transformations that Rosciolli conveys with raw emotional vigor that holds your heart in her palm. Delphine starts off as a hard-shelled woman but through the course of the play her façade cracks with each new twist in the plot. Rosciolli delivers an organic performance in every scene with charisma, energy and tears.

The production’s set design is clever as one-third of the stage is transformed into a booth, another a bar, and the last third a back alley, that all brings the Dublin-pub to this very intimate theatre where you only three rows of seats keeps the audience from the actors. With a balanced amount of visual effects by David Bengali—Queen videos projected on the walls, pre-produced simple nostalgic moments between the characters, let’s not forget the red-blue-green lights that flash at the audience while Danny covers Queen songs—there is never a flat moment.

“Dedalus Lounge” is well written, directed and with three talented stars is one of the more memorable works of independent theatre so far this year. Rapp, Kautz, and Rosciolli breathes life to characters that face familiar modern issues and situations. This company’s production will have you squeezing back your tears to the melancholy end.

Presented by Interart Theatre and The Royal Family Productions “Dedalus Lounge” is now playing through January 30 at the Interart Theatre Annex (500 West 52nd Stree, 2nd Floor).

Tickets are $18 and can be purchased by visiting www.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 1-800-838-3006