October 5, 2024 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

REVIEW: The Lounge Theatre presents award-winning “Sight Unseen” through April 26

Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris and Jason Weiss as the young lovers Patricia and Jonathan. Photo by Ed Krieger
Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris and Jason Weiss as the young lovers Patricia and Jonathan. Photo by Ed Krieger

Playwright Donald Margulies is a writer with issues to explore. In his play, “Sight Unseen,” presented by Wasatch Theatrical Ventures, he delves into questions of what constitutes art as well as the slippery slope of love, commitment, bigotry, and the loss of creative purity.

Originally commissioned by South Coast Repertory in the early 90s, the play went on to New York where it received an Outer Critics Circle Award for the Best Off-Broadway Play. Laura Linney starred in that production and won nominations for a Tony and Drama Desk Award.

Coincidentally, Linney is currently in Los Angeles where she is starring in “Switzerland” at The Geffen Playhouse.

Divided into eight scenes that move back and forth in time, the non-linear story revolves around three principal characters – Jonathan Waxman, well played by Jason Weiss, his ex-girlfriend Patricia, wonderfully portrayed by Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris, and her husband Nick, played by Mark Belnick. Grete, an obnoxious German journalist, rounds out the cast and is played by Casey McKinnon.

Jonathan is a celebrated “bad boy” artist who has come to London for his first international exhibit. It turns out that his ex-girlfriend Patricia (Pat), who he hasn’t seen in fifteen years, is married and lives in a run-down farmhouse in a village outside of London with her much older British husband Nick. Jonathan had contacted Pat to let her know that he was going to be in town and received an invitation to spend the evening with she and her husband.

Jonathan and Pat were young lovers when he was an emerging artist and she acted as both his muse and model. He got a lot of flack from his late mother because not only was Pat not Jewish, she was also African-American. Eventually, following the death of his father, he broke up the relationship and a heartsick Pat fled to England to get over him. Pat refers to herself as “the sacrificial shiska (non-Jewish girl).”

Pat and her husband are both archeologists involved in what for them are exciting excavations that have resulted in the discovery of very ancient artifacts, but not much remuneration. Fully aware of what transpired between Jonathan and Pat, Nick is less than friendly towards his guest, taking every opportunity to subtly and not so subtly demean his work.

Still fighting some of his old demons, despite all of his success, Jonathan is racked with guilt for not being a good son and never received the praise that he desperately needed from his now deceased father, who he “buried under the unisphere in Flushing, Queens.”

Margulies cleverly uses the theatrical device of flashbacks. Moving back and forth in time, he illuminates the early loving relationship between Pat and Jonathan, as well as the ensuing conflict he faced in dating a non-Jewish girl. He finally ends the relationship in a most heartless way.

Under the excellent direction of Nicole Dominguez, the action moves at a brisk pace and little by little the storytelling reveals that Jonathan is now married and lives in New Paltz, a small city 81 miles outside of New York and is about to become a father for the first time. Obviously painful to see him again, Pat pushes him as to why he’s visiting. He says he wants to apologize for his behavior to which she says that she’s, “Willing to feed him dinner and give him a place to sleep, but no forgiveness.”

In the meantime Nick takes extreme pleasure in denigrating Jonathan’s art, questioning the yardstick he uses in placing a value on his paintings, which apparently sell for tens of thousands of dollars. He is fully aware that Pat still thinks about her former lover and it seems that trashing his work is his only way of getting even. He refers to one particular painting as pornography to which Jonathan takes great exception, and tries to convince his ungracious host that it is not pornography, but a painting with great social significance. He even boasts that all his paintings at the current exhibition have already been sold, with a waiting list for future paintings. Nick is eminently unimpressed and a heated discussion ensues about what makes good art. Jonathan gives a long dissertation on the meaning of art and the difference between the artist’s intentions versus how the art is perceived and translated by the public.

There are several explosive scenes where Jonathan is being interviewed in the gallery by Grete, the German journalist who refers to him as a Jewish painter. He keeps correcting her by saying that he is an American painter and being a Jew has nothing to do with his art. With a nice smile on her face, barely veiling her own anti-Semitism, she attacks his work and questions why he hired a publicist. Putting him on the defensive, he explains that he needs someone to coordinate his myriad commitments. Her goal was to anger him and indeed she succeeds.

So here we are so many years later. Pat is still in love with Jonathan. Her husband Nick despises the artist for the hurt he inflicted on his wife. With an incredibly surprising twist, Nick sees an early painting of his hanging on the wall and feels the purity of that painting will restore his original passion. What happens with that piece of art makes for interesting drama.

As far as production values, Adam Haas Hunter’s set design makes excellent use of the small space, which is augmented by Michael Gend’s light design, and David B. Marling’s sound design, which nicely accompanied the multiple set changes well executed by the cast.

The Lounge Theatre

6201 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90038 (One block east of Vine at El Centro)

Run: 8 pm Fridays and Saturdays, 7 pm Sundays

Tickets: $25 (Students, Guild Members & Seniors: $20)

Closes: April 26, 2015

Reservations: 323.960.4412 or www.plays411.com/unseen

Related Posts

Bitcoin Mining in Los Angeles and Its Economic Impact

August 12, 2024

August 12, 2024

Once a quirky computer pastime for the geek squad, bitcoin mining has become a significant economic force in places like...

How to Stay Safe While Enjoying Digital Entertainment in West LA

August 5, 2024

August 5, 2024

Recent developments have shown that so much of people’s daily lives are centered on the internet. A 2021 survey conducted...

Why Choose Local Florists for Your Flower Delivery?

May 12, 2024

May 12, 2024

Finding local florists has become easier than ever with the advent of digital marketplaces. Opting for Nashville flower delivery near...

8 Essential Things to Do After a Car Accident in Las Vegas

April 16, 2024

April 16, 2024

A car crash can be extremely traumatic for the people involved in it. Even if there is no major injury...

8 Essential Things to Do After a CarAccident in Las Vegas

April 8, 2024

April 8, 2024

A car crash can be extremely traumatic for the people involved in it. Even if there is no major injury...

Foreign Currency in International Business Expansion

January 2, 2024

January 2, 2024

Business has transformed into a whole different dimension. The interconnectedness across countries is increasing the feasibility of business expansions. It...

How to Select Quality Solar Panels and Installation in California

January 2, 2024

January 2, 2024

As solar energy becomes more affordable and popular, many homeowners in California are considering installing solar panels. However, not all...

Celebrating Christmas in Las Vegas: A Winter Wonderland of Fun and Festivity

November 15, 2023

November 15, 2023

As the festive season approaches, Las Vegas transforms into a glittering winter wonderland, offering a unique and magical Christmas experience....

Navigating Oxnard’s Public Transportation System: A Driver’s Guide

November 2, 2023

November 2, 2023

Whether you live in Oxnard or want to visit, it’s useful to know how to get around this coastal city....

15 Tips For Keeping Burglars Out Of Your Business

October 16, 2023

October 16, 2023

In the ever-evolving realm of business security, the persistent threat of burglary perpetually looms overhead like a dark cloud. The...

US Gambling Laws

July 12, 2023

July 12, 2023

Whilst casino gaming is a significant part of the American culture, US gambling laws are ever-changing. Prior to the Unlawful...

Reasonable Renting in The City of Angels

June 2, 2023

June 2, 2023

What would it be like to wake up in a bustling metropolis filled with endless possibilities, set against rows of...

BEST BITCOINS CASINO 2023: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

May 29, 2023

May 29, 2023

Bitcoins casino and cryptocurrency casinos are in full swing, and they will increase users exponentially in the coming years. However,...

Messi Drives Up Ticket Prices Up for this MLS Season.

May 4, 2023

May 4, 2023

Lionel Messi’s arrival in Major League Soccer (MLS) is already causing a stir, and the profound effect it is having...

Don’t Miss Your Last Chance to Experience CORTEO by Cirque du Soleil!

April 25, 2023

April 25, 2023

The Show’s Run At The Microsoft Theater Ends On April 30  Time is running out for fans of CORTEO by...