"Brooklyn's Way" a Masterful & Fascinating Look into Human Passion & the Written Word
Monday, September 16th, Los Angeles, CA
written by Entertainment Editor, Dan Ruth
I am certain that throughout the annals of science, there have been countless studies where animals of the same classifications have been grouped, caged and researched, as to their behavior, productivity and coping mechanisms. Only on the stage however, could the same type of study be done for writers, primarily writers of television and film. Brooklyn’s Way, which enjoyed a world premiere at Theatre 68 in NoHo last week, could be seen as such a study, except the cage in question is a studio lot writer’s lab, and the people existing in close proximity to one another are screenwriter Scoot (Jonathan R. Freeman) and writer’s assistant Brooklyn (Amye Partain). When the two first meet in the studio parking lot, the sparks start to fly as their chemistry and fascination for one another begins to smolder within their "toxic office."
Weaponizing his newly love-struck characters with their subsequent talents for words, veteran screenwriter and playwright Sam Henry Kass has crafted an intelligent and understandably loquacious play that dives headfirst into the brutal world of Hollywood and it’s ever-disenchanting sabotage of truth and the written word. Brooklyn spares no time mining Scoot and his bleak, dangerous past to get to the heart of his talents and his shortcomings. When Scoot begins to slip into his own disillusionment and self-sabotage, he falls behind in his writings, only to be pulled back in by the unbridled Brooklyn and her attempts to keep him nearer to her. Using multiple theatrical devices, Brooklyn’s Way is a play within a play, which starts at the end and wastes no time weaving in and out of time lines, further adding to the expanse of time and the deep chasm between it’s two characters who are blinded by their passion and the loneliness of their writer lab prison. “Everybody deserves to be loved,” says Scoot, “but not everybody deserves to be loved in return.”
Brooklyn's Way, with all of its clever devices, stands firm as a genuine and often painful human story, and what this potentially unrequited love story lacks in true love, it more than makes up for in its questioning of art, integrity and reality, as it spins and dances within the confines of its character’s own personal impediments. Jonathan R. Freeman as Scoot, is brimming with energy and charm. His shadow-self proves equally alluring, and it’s understandable as to why he captures the iron will of Brooklyn, masterfully played by Amye Partain. With a seemingly endless wellspring of choices and emotion, Partain is fearless in her performance and commands every inch of the stage with multiple levels of honesty, as she attempts to rein in Scoot’s demons, as well as her own. Using very effective projections and music, Director, Ronnie Marmo keeps the play within a play very clearly defined and pulls some wonderfully connected performances out of his stars. In a world lacking empathy, we really do care about the characters and story created by Kass and team Brooklyn's Way. All involved in this excellent production should be recognized for shining a strong light on Los Angeles theatre.
Does Brooklyn get her way? Grab a ticket and discover for yourself. Always engaging and often hilarious, Brooklyn’s Way, which runs through October 13th at Theatre 68, is a fascinating roller-coaster ride that in lesser hands, could have easily gone another way entirely. Check out Theatre 68 for all Tickets & Information.
