Drive
gives sex offender a complex humanity.
Theatre Review - by Colin Thomas
Paula Vogel's How I Learned to Drive features a likeable pedophile.
That's its strength. Within our sexually hysterical culture, Vogel
presents a complex, compassionate - and ultimately liberating
- view of a profound form of betrayal. As she said in a 1998 interview
shortly after winning the Pulitzer Prize for this script: "It's
a mistake to demonize the people who hurt us."
In
the story, which moves back and forth in time, Li'l Bit is only
11 years old when her Uncle Peck starts to abuse her. He's teaching
her to drive at the time, and Vogel works the automotive metaphor
expertly throughout: the power and danger of the car, the misplaced
"love" that would allow an adult to put a child behind
the wheel.
Vogel
unwaveringly holds Peck responsible for his actions, but she allows
him his humanity. Peck deceives himself and strengthens his seduction
by appearing to offer his niece respect: "I'm not going to
do anything you don't want me to do." Li'l Bit is clearly
innocent, but her desperation for love and approval, as well as
the dizzying notion that she might be able to help her alcoholic
uncle, erode her judgment.
This
is explosive stuff, but his production, like the script, is a
triumph of restraint. There's very little physical contact between
the two leads. Mostly they talk and we imagine the actions, so
we don't feel like voyeurs and are sensitive to the real impact
of the touches that we do witness.
James
Fagan Tait is distinguishing himself as one of the best directors
in this city. Under Tait's eye, Allan Morgan (Peck) does some
of his most understated and affecting work; at one point, Li'l
Bit rejects Peck and he simply collapses into himself. Eileen
Barrett's Li'l Bit is perfect. There's a stillness, a wisdom,
at the centre of this portrait of confusion that's very moving.
And, playing both Pecks' wife and sister, who is Li'l Bit's mom,
Tammy Bentz skillfully rides the script's razor edge between comedy
and horror.
John
Popkin's lighting matches every subtlety.
I
couldn't recommend this show more.
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Colin Thomas
