Male Scientific Fragility in the Raw
Hello, dear reader! I am happy to greet you as I slowly restart this reviewing thang, and what better theatre company to do it with than the resilient Onstage Playhouse in Chula Vista.
The question remains in these times where San Diego proudly yet sadly (because we should not be fighting to keep the arts going and funded; it should be a given) recently celebrated the victory of restoring arts funding by doing a shuffle, ball, change after the mayor’s proposed cut of over 12 million. Meanwhile, New York City’s 2027 budget includes record $323m for culture…leaving it there and keeping the comments to myself for now… I commend Onstage on its resilience while navigating a wild rent increase (amongst other outrageous costs), and a GoFundMe to finish the last two productions in its season; the company has not announced repertoire in 2027 due to its lease being up in February and surviving in limbo or “life support,” as James Darvas, Artistic Director, mentioned in an interview. With all that, the curtain is rising, and performances for Isaac’s Eye are taking place until July 19th, with an added performance on Wednesday, July 15, due to the Mexico-England World Cup match happening this Sunday. Resilient and able to read the room!
Ok, I will stop with my babble -for now- and start talking about the play. I liked Hnath’s approach to these apparent scientific rivals, Isaac Newton (Max Bergstrand) and Robert Hooke (Tom Steward), with the guidance of narrator/actor/dying man named Sam Julián Flores explaining minutiae in their dynamics and theories, what isn’t real and what is by writing it on the blackboard walls of Duane McGregor’s scenic design, with apothecary vibes, colorful bottles, and a bookshelf where Catherine (Kimberly Weinberger) Isaac’s childhood sweetheart (and apothecary) also worked. The competition and theory contrast unveils naked male insecurity, egos, and an intriguing rabbit hole that practically anyone would go down when researching these historic figures through an intense conversation with Gemini (or the search engine and AI of choice).
The play runs 90 minutes, with a deliberate 15-minute intermission for dramatic flair and suspense, and Ginger Chody’s lighting contours each moment. Directed by James Darvas, the rhythm is dynamic and captivating. I also think the beauty of these pieces lies in their cast and combo. In my review of RENT, I had shared my doubts about seeing yet another production of this musical, but it was the cast and combo of actors that made the difference. In Isaac’s Eye, the Bergstrand-Steward-Flores combo with Kimberly worked very well. You have these men going on wordy dialogue, epiphanies, and reflections, then have her come in and make it even more interesting. Max Bergstrand brings the right amount of intensity and directness to Newton, giving the audience a sort of glimpse into the historical character’s mind. Tom Steward, from even before the performance begins with a brilliant pre-curtain announcement (which Onstage has been killing it with for a while), the Bri-ish accent, and just overall histrionic chops, delivered a multilayered, flawed Hooke, and also had great scenes with his co-actors. Sans spoilers, there is a just-delicious sequence with Kimberly on a bench involving talks about marriage, fighting dirty, and other relationships that totally hit the mark. The actress reached yet another histrionic milestone with this character, interpreting her scenes with the male cast members at a good pace and with intentionality. Julián is an absolute hoot as both the narrator and the scientific guinea pig for the “needle test”. It is always inspiring to see up-and-coming young actors making their way through the San Diego boards, and Flores is getting there, bringing a fresh vibe to the scene as well as exercising them acquired acting chops as, in the performance I saw, there was a certain prop that broke mid-scene, and the communication amongst Julián keeping the flow while Max was letting Tom know -all staying in character- that the prop broke and there needed to be a change in the blockage, was perfection. And funny, too, as audience members were like, “it broke!” Never doubt audience participation when an actor faces unforeseen challenges on stage.
Brad Dubois’s costumes illustrated the period with short pants, stockings, booties, and a long coat that I would love in my closet. Kimberly wore long skirts and loose over-the-shoulder tops, while Julian contrasted with black jeans, a long hooded cover, and combat boots, creating the illusion of the different time periods. Jaden Guerrero’s sound made everything go through as it should, although there were too many “stomps” for my taste. What I do love now is guessing the Madonna songs in the production, which is a signature of James Darvas.
Onstage brings these true American plays to the stage that I do not think San Diego would otherwise see. It should also be noted that all productions include the relevant set, costume, and lighting design elements, regardless of costs or financial constraints. Not an easy task, yet the standard and bar are there.
If you would like to support Onstage, please click here.
Performances of Isaac’s Eye are currently running until July 19.
The Stage Manager is Rhae Ferrer.
