Displaying items by tag: Phillip Andrew Monnett

I chose to review LIGHT SWITCH because the play sounded intriguing, and also because every production I’ve seen at Open Space Arts (OSA) has been excellent. OSA can be relied upon to deliver thought-provoking, enlightening and captivating pieces played by super-talented actors. LIGHT SWITCH was no exception.

LIGHT SWITCH tells the story of Henry, an autistic gay man, across a span of twenty years; the chronicle is both sidesplitting and heartrending. Phillip Andrew Monnett plays Henry in his journey from a taunted and ridiculed child to a PhD student (19th century English literature, to be precise). His dorm roommate Rogie (Henry DelBello) urges him to parties where he’ll meet men; and Rogie’s right; Henry meets several men, [all depicted by Dylan McCumber], none of whom Henry finds suitable except Joseph, played by Peter Manuel Young. Flashbacks help to flesh out Henry’s character by providing insight into Henry’s upbringing, and Hilary Hensler was awesome as his mother Marian.

Playwright Dave Osmundsen is himself autistic, and LIGHT SWITCH presents an accurate and sympathetic portrayal of autism. The scenes depicting the inadvertently devastating reactions of his well-meaning but exasperated mother were as excellent as they were wrenching. Unlike too many representations of autistic people (I’m looking at you, Sony Picture’s The Good Doctor), LIGHT SWITCH avoided many of the tired stereotypes about autistic people, while faithfully sketching many genuine traits … though we must remember that autistic people are not cookie-cutter concordant! For example, Henry’s obsession with Victorian literature is unique, but his penchant for replication is fairly common among autistic people, which we see in his repetition of certain phrases and in ways that overlap with his unique obsession, like having 18 copies of Wuthering Heights.

Monnett was spectacular in the extensive and challenging role of Henry. He deftly maintained the rigid behaviors that are typical of autism while allowing us to follow Henry’s growth as a character. Through Osmundsen's script and Monnett's portrayal, we get to see Henry experience a full range of emotion, from subtle to expansive, something that is rarely afforded to autistic characters but is absolutely part of the experience of autistic people. I attended this show with an autistic friend and there was one scene where this portrayal of emotion didn't quite ring true for them. During the pivotal argument between Rogie and Henry, Henry's emotional state changes quickly multiple times - from anger to curiosity to sadness to decisiveness. It would be more typical for someone with autism to remain in the same emotional state throughout, but here the action of the script dictated moving the story forward a bit more rapidly.

Henry DelBello’s Rogie was purely delightful. Rogie’s steadfast devotion to Henry throughout their seven years together was depicted with poignant authenticity. DelBello gave Rogie a spontaneity and vivacity that brightened the stage with each appearance. I’m usually obnoxed by scenes of drunken rambling, but DelBello never allowed me to feel anything but affection for Rogie. For his part, Peter Manuel Young played the complex character of Joseph admirably. His “promiscuity” was balanced by his obvious fondness for whatever man he was currently making advances towards.

I’m always impressed by how well OSA’s tech crews manage within the teensy stage space available at Open Space Arts! I also noted that they created stadium-style seating by placing folding chairs in front, desk chairs in the second row, and counter stools at the back – so clever! But getting back to the production crew: Michael D Graham directed (with Assistant Shakir Methune), and they did an amazing job, particularly with blocking out the movements of actors and set pieces.  

That being said, I thought the set change blackouts in Act 1 were too frequent; this might have been alleviated by working with Set Designer Rick Paul to minimize the furniture. Less pieces to move about, as we saw with the transitions to and from the Cabin set, would smooth out the action. The books in the background were important to reflect the intense but narrow scope of Henry’s erudition, but beyond that the set only really required those pieces where the actors needed to sit or lie down. That’s my fondness for the minimalist approach to set design talking, but shorter and fewer complex set rearrangements would definitely mitigate the choppiness that distracted me throughout Act 1.

Intimacy Director Greta Zandstra had their work cut out for themselves, as intimacy was a critical issue for Henry. Zandstra did a fine job of balancing Henry’s general fluency with gay sex against his individual disinclination for physical touch. Rogie’s influence was certainly key in this sphere!

A play entitled LIGHT SWITCH could have supported many interesting possibilities for Lighting Designer Justin Walker, but they chose to stick to the basics, and it worked fine. Costume Designer Adie Sutherland had more limited scope to work within, but Rogie’s underpants were terrific! Alex Kingsley’s music was both powerful and plausible. And last but not least: kudos to Stage Manager Joey Bluhm and Producer David Zak.

The term ‘neurodivergent’ was introduced in the early 90’s as an alternative to deficit-based language, e.g. “disorder.” The neurodivergent paradigm is based on the idea that autism and other developmental conditions are differences to be embraced, rather than diseases to be cured.  Thus “neurodiversity” may refer to all people because everyone has a unique way of processing information. To neurodiversity proponents, people are disabled because they are at the edges of the bell curve, not because they are sick or broken. Controversy has arisen among disability advocates, some of whom argue this risks downplaying the suffering experienced by some autistic individuals, and normalizing things some might want treatment for.

The neurodiversity movement emerged largely via online interaction, as the Internet’s design was compatible with the needs of many autistic people. Within the scientific community, autism research may sometimes be too eager to interpret differences as deficits, though a focus on masking autistic traits may be ethically questionable, as some recent studies associate excessive masking with poor mental health, even suicide. The neurodiversity movement attempts to keep autism and its like away from the ‘pathology paradigm’. Stigma against neurodivergence (especially against autism) can severely hinder an individual's ability to perform well in the education system and the workplace.

I heartily celebrate the increasing recognition and understanding of neurodiversity, where the arts provide a critical canvas with plays like LIGHT SWITCH. I’ve learned from seeing the play and discussing it with my autistic companion. The mission of Open Space Arts is to “foster inclusivity, promote understanding, and empower marginalized communities … through the transformative power of creativity and cultural expression”. You certainly accomplished that here, OSA!

LIGHT SWITCH plays at OSA through September 29. I strongly recommend you check it out!

*Extended through October 13th