The cast of Lonely Planet (John Ulman) |
Lonely Planet
AJ Epstein Presents at West of Lenin
Through November 18, 2018
Steven Dietz’
play, Lonely Planet, was “about” AIDS
as the background of the society and culture that two unlikely friends interact
in, circa 1993. Jody (Michael Winters)
and Carl (Reginald Andre Jackson)
are about as different as you can get, and yet reflect that many unknowable
connections can draw us together.
Carl presents as homeless… a rangy, hyperactive, rootless
guy who likely would be diagnosed with ADD and/or on the autism spectrum today.
25 years ago, when this play was first produced, that kind of diagnosis would
be less useful and with fewer medical supports.
Jody presents as a more mainstream business owner, a map
store owner, but one who, more and more, cannot leave the store to face what’s
outside in the big world. At the beginning of this “relationship play,” Jody
seems to tolerate Carl, even as he knows Carl’s foibles, like lying and not taking
“no” for an answer.
It starts with a chair. A chair just shows up in the map
shop. Jody knows where it must have come from, but not why it appeared.