Playwright: Simon Stephens. At: Steep Theatre, 1115 W. Berwyn Ave. Tickets: 773-649-3186 or www.steeptheatre.com; $20-$22. Runs through Nov. 9
There's an extremely disturbing and violent scene in Steep Theatre's North American premiere of Simon Stephens' drama Motortown. So theatergoers averse to onstage depictions of mental and physical abuse would be advised to avoid it.
But if you are willing to contextualize that shocking scene and seriously ponder how it fits into the play's many observations on modern British society in the age of "The War on Terror," then Motortown more than justifies its shocking moments.
Director Robin Witt fashions Motortown into a chilling and gripping show, and her amazing acting ensemble is given plenty of flashy moments to show off not only their technical skills ( the dialects are spot on ), but their complex motivations as well.
Motortown follows the actions of former British soldier Danny ( a butch and menacing Joel Reitsma ) after a tour in Basra, Iraq. Danny is staying with his mentally challenged younger brother, Lee ( a charming Chris Chmelik ), in the Dagenham area of London ( a manufacturing area that probably helped give the play its title ). Once home, Danny spends his days bothering his ex-girlfriend, Marley ( Julia Siple ), and seeking out ways to obtain a deadly weapon by the likes of Tom ( Eddie Reynolds ) and the ruthless Paul ( Peter Moore ).
Danny more than likely was involved in an Iraqi prison-torture scandal, and his string of lies to the strangers he encounters ( unnervingly played by Ashleigh LaThrop, Kendra Thulin and Alex Gillmor ) gives you a clue that Danny wasn't a man to be trusted before or after his overseas tour of duty. Stephens leaves plenty of narrative blanks for the audience to fill in regarding Danny's actions, and most of that isn't pretty.
In Motortown, Stephens is addressing war veterans' rage at returning home to an unappreciative and ( as they might see it ) corrupt society. But Stephens also takes to task the military's drummed-in violence that allows for a manipulative monster like Danny to operate practically undisciplined and unchecked.
With Motortown, Steep Theatre is once again presenting a work by the Olivier Award-winning British playwright Stephens following acclaimed production of his plays Harper Regan and Pornography. The latter play explored uncomfortable relationships in the lead up to the London terrorist bombings of July 7, 2005, but Motortown was actually written during those exuberant and fraught days before and after the attacks.
Motortown is not an easy play to watch at times. But the thoughtful issues explored and the sterling quality of the production certainly makes it so that you can't dismiss it for its flashes of ugly and unsettling violence. Consider yourself warned.