TEMPER

5 stars out of 5


It seems incongruous that a book can be this good when all the characters are this unlikable (well, maybe with one exception). But when I had several chapters to go at the time we left for a three-day vacation with friends at the Marblehead area of Lake Erie, I stuffed my Kindle in my suitcase. I would, I vowed, make time to finish it. And I did - the very first night.

Short chapters that shift among character perspectives helped hold my attention on every single page. But it was the characters, all of whom I would classify as seriously screwed up, that really reeled me in. Even though I was certain how the book would end - and I was right - the way the story and characters evolved (for better or worse) made me wish I could have holed up and read the whole thing in one setting.

Kira Rascher, an aging actress who's been hoping for a juicy role for years (for whatever reason, Cassie from "A Chorus Line" came to mind), finally gets her wish as notoriously nitpicky director Malcolm Mercer chooses her for the lead in "Temper." The play is the latest venture at the theater founded by Joanna Cuyler, who doesn't think Kira is right for the part. Malcolm's relationship with Joanna is complicated, to say the least; they live together but, despite Joanna's wishful thinking, are a platonic couple.

Kira, too, has a complicated relationship (think: friends with benefits) with her apartment mate, Spence, who makes a living staging realistic, but accident-free, fight scenes for theatrical productions. For the two-person cast of "Temper," he's staging the final scenes between Trent and Mara, the characters played by Malcom and Kira. As rehearsals begin, Malcolm lives up to his take-no-prisoners reputation, challenging everyone involved in the production to their near-breaking points. He sets his most psychologically destructive sights on Kira, who knows exactly what he's doing but is sure she can out-psych him and deliver the performance of her life.

But can she? Aye, there's the rub. In fact, given this mixed-up bunch, whether there will be any survivors at curtain call is anyone's guess. Thoroughly engrossing and fast-paced (with no shortage of graphic sexual situations and explicit language, I note for those who eschew such things). Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review an advance copy.

Temper by Layne Fargo (Gallery/Scout Press, July 2019); 352 pp.

RISE UP!

3.5 stars out of 5

Only twice in my life have I ever seen a real, live Broadway play; it happened sometime in the early 1980s when my husband and I accompanied a group of college business students who went to New York City to learn more about the garment industry. We managed to get discount tickets to two plays: "Noises Off," and "A Chorus Line." Both were awesome (the latter falling into the "OMG, I've died and gone to heaven" category). And while I've seen many Broadway touring company productions locally since then, nothing ever will compare to the "real" experience.

It was with that meager but thrilling experience in mind that I looked forward to reading this book, in which the author provides an inside look at some of the productions that have made an impact in ways far beyond simple entertainment. From "Angels in America" to "Hamilton," he examines how and why various shows have tried to shed light on societal issues like AIDS, slavery and divisive politics. It was interesting to learn, for instance, of Broadway's overall disdain for then-President Ronald Reagan, who refused to even acknowledge the existence of AIDS or, perhaps more importantly, approve funding for AIDS research. Also noteworthy, to me at least, was that when New York City virtually came to a halt after the horrific events of 9/11, city leaders including then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani ordered theater owners to reopen as a sign that the show - and in the broader sense the entire city - must go on.

In part because the book isn't very long, I'll leave the details of the plays to the author and you can read them for yourself. I must, however, note that I'm hoping it underwent a more thorough copy-editing before its release. I read an advance copy courtesy of the publisher (via NetGalley), for which I'm very appreciative. But I found numerous errors (it's Harriet TUBman, not TAUBman, for instance), and there's enough of what I'll call "jumping around" within the chapters that at times it's a little hard to follow. Overall, though, the author has put together an excellent history with insights that should enlighten theater-lovers everywhere. 

Rise Up! by Chris Jones (Methuen Drama, November 2018); 240 pp.