By Wendell Brock
For the AJC
Geoffrey Naufft’s thoughtful and beautifully written play “Next Fall” meditates on the essential, close-to-the-bone conflict of how gay people go about reconciling questions of faith.
When caustic non-believer Adam meets a gentle fundamentalist Christian named Luke, they have a physical connection that endures their short, five-year window of time together. What they can’t resolve is their spiritual divide, a debate that takes on a stark urgency when Luke is silenced by a life-threatening accident.
In a wholly absorbing production directed by Kate Warner at Actor’s Express, Naufft’s smartly calibrated play injects the 2012 Atlanta theater season with a strong shot of comic solemnity. Starring seldom seen Mitchell Anderson as the neurotic, self-absorbed Adam and Joe Sykes as his prayerful young partner, “Next Fall” compresses heavy-freighted matters of faith and family, morality and mortality into a finely shaped, accordion-style evening of theater that oscillates between past and present.
Referencing the political climate of the day, “Next Fall” contrasts the conservative values of Tallahassee, Fla., with the cosmopolitan manners of Manhattan — but is refreshingly devoid of condescension. Southern-boy Luke has dropped out of law school and is working as a "cater-waiter" when he meets 40-year-old Adam, a quintessential neurotic New Yorker who is virtually choking on unhappiness and ennui.
Yet, for all its gravity, the story bounces along like a sparkling sit-com, "Will & Grace" being an obvious reference. Adam, a tightly wound, eye-rolling hypochondriac, is employed by kindhearted candle-shop owner Holly, who gives him unconditional support in good times and bad and is played with a lovely natural warmth by Jennifer Levison.
To Adam’s chagrin, his lover prays before meals and after sex. And when Luke’s father, Butch (William S. Murphey), arrives in New York unannounced, Luke "de-gays” the apartment in a state of panic. The awkward moment when Butch and Adam enjoy a delicate cup of tea is delicious — as is Adam’s grimace when Holly brings over a pumpkin-scented candle.
As Luke’s mother, Arlene, who has been mostly absent through the years, Patricia French is a delightful comedic bonbon, a character who is at once adorably messy and a welcome touch of grace. (On opening night, French had a bit of trouble modulating her trademark rasp into some measure of clarity but eventually found her voice.) Luke’s friend Brandon (John Benzinger) is the least developed part in the play, a character who seems to exist as an accessory to the shame.
On the design side, Jamie Bullins’s contemporary, off-the-rack fashions are appropriate to the story. Joseph P. Monaghan III adds a sensitive sound-scape and nice lighting. But Seamus M. Bourne’s set sometimes feels a little stretched. The hospital waiting room, for the most part, seems overly distant from the drama, while the rudimentary pieces of Luke and Adam’s apartment come together a bit awkwardly.
While the characters in “Next Fall” would seem to have narrow definitions of the meaning of faith and love, what makes the play more interesting is that they don’t — always. Nauffts has a great understanding of that complex ambiguity, and Warner’s ensemble handles the material with considerable nuance and feeling. After a long night of terror, there's a final sigh of mercy.
Theater review
“Last Fall”
Grade: A –
8 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays. 2 p.m. Sundays. Through Feb. 11. $25-$32. Actor’s Express. 887 West Marietta St., Suite J-107, Atlanta. 404-607-7496; actorsexpress.com
Bottom line: A topical — and timeless — meditation on faith, family and love.
