Gasoline Rainbow

Although refreshingly radical in bent and creatively written, Gasoline Rainbow failed to satisfy Friday night at the Adams Kronauer Space. The play centers on Gabe (Joe P. Flood ’04), a middle-class white thirty-something who re-enters the world of political activism when he meets the young, vibrant ketamine-dosing Christine (Mysha K. Mason ’04). Bored with his telemarketing job at SkyMall and getting his only thrills from ordering X-rated merchandise for oblivious customers, Gabe gladly springs back onto the rallying circuit. He begins merely by offering innovative protest ideas and typing posters, but he eventually gets sucked into helping kidnap the son of city bureaucrat Robert Barrone to protest cuts of service to low-income neighborhoods. Based on actual research done by Flood, who is a Crimson editor, on the squatters and drug epidemic in the 1970s and ’80s, the play gives an inside look at the grimier side of bureaucratic reform.

While the admirable intellectual intentions of the author were clear throughout the production, the actual execution of the work fell short of its potential. Actors often stumbled through lines, tripping over even simple words. Entrances and exits often seemed awkward and ill-timed, and transitions between the scenes were noisy and detracted attention from the actual play. Furthermore, the unfortunate use of the space to the left of the main stage area resulted in poor viewing and an unnecessarily claustrophobic effect.

Poor delivery did not stump Joe L. DiMento ’05, who turned in a fantastically humorous performance as Steve, Gabe’s coworker and friend at SkyMall. DiMento, who is also a Crimson editor, was the single gem in company of roughs, stealing the show with effortless style. While Mason’s Christine was intriguing, it was difficult to get past the tongue blips that marred the easy confidence of her character. Flood was merely adequate as Gabe, failing to deliver a convincing portrayal. An amusing performances bu Ari D. Brettman ’04 as Ben, son of Robert Barrone and The Cobbler displayed versatility and confidence, but never went beyond stereotypical characterizations. The rest of the cast failed to make a strong impression.

The dilapidated setup of the Adams Kronauer Space also left much to be desired, especially in terms of lighting and sound effects. The intimate quarters are clearly better suited for a play of less ambitious proportions. Although intellectually engaging, the concept of the play seemed out of reach of the capacities of its cast, crew and venue. The play may have been more successful had it been staged in the slightly larger back portion of the theatre, rather than crowding an oversized panoramic view onto an already space-challenged audience area.

What Gasoline Rainbow boiled down to was a smartly written script that could have used more rehearsal time and more carefully considered staging. Flood deserves praise for his effort, but the resulting package was ultimately quite unsatisfying. The play suggests great promise for a masterpiece somewhere in Flood, but Gasoline Rainbow just isn’t it.

-—Crimson Reviewer Mildred M. Yuan can be reached at yuan@fas.harvard.edu