Review: Open Circle’s The Cut is a mixed bag of obsession and excess.

Review: The Cut. Adapted for the stage by Dustin Engstrom and based on the memoir, Shorn: Toys to Men by Dennis Milam Bensie. Directed by Gary Zinter. With Michael LaDell Harris, Monica Wulzen, Scott Shoemaker and Joan Jankowski. Now through February 5 at Open Circle Theater.

Adapting memoirs for the stage or screen can be tough. It’s difficult to present a life’s story, or even a segment of a life’s story, in ninety minutes or so. And, how do you present the story of a life that’s darkly perverse and a bit off-putting not to mention lacking in joy or personal happiness? Oh, and it’s a GAY man’s life story and it deals with a very specific sexual fetish rooted in child molestation and personal torment and unhappiness. Open Circle willingly took on this challenge with their new show, an adaption of local writer Dennis Milam Bensie’s memoir, Shorn: Toys to Men which examines his life as a conflicted gay man dealing with an unique sexual obsession: cutting off a man’s hair against their will. The result, adapted by playwright Dustin Engstrom is The Cut which examines Mr Bensie’s obsession, what led to it, and how he overcame it. The play is, at times, moving and poignant with some lovingly rendered scenes, intriguing characters and performances, and a nice attention to the details of compulsive sexual behaviour and its effect on a life. But, the play also falters with some clunky narrative devices, a total lack of any lightness to offset the darker, creepier moments, and a lead character, (renamed Derick for this play) who is frankly, not a lot of fun to be around. The Cut is not a toe tapping good time at the theater. You won’t leave Open Circle whistling any happy tunes after experiencing this play.

Five things to like about this play: 1) Dennis Milam Bensie not only supplied the source material for this play, with his memoir, but he also supplies the wigs. His day job is Wig Master at Intiman so the man knows his way around hair…there’s some astounding heads of hair in The Cut. 2) Scott Shoemaker, who plays both the homophobic dad AND the flaming best friend Jake, gives TWO outstanding performances in this production. It takes you a moment to realize that he’s playing both parts…that’s due to Mr Shoemaker’s talent and the terrifying “Heat Miser-y” wig he sports as the raging queen Jake. 3) I also very much liked Joan Jankowski, also with two roles, as the supportive but meek mother and Derick’s chatty and deluded wife. She was very believable as the mother, and unlike many actors, did not overplay the aging character. 4) Excellent design work from the Open Circle team on the sets and sound design. 5) The best scene in the play was a touching moment, in a car between Derick and a former trick, a down on his luck male hustler nicely played by David Rollison. It was one of the few honest and touching moments in the play.

Stuff I didn’t like so much: 1) The use of Derick’s childhood homemade doll friend “Stefeny” as a narrative device throughout the play. It was contrived and hokey and while Monica Wulzen does a fine job with a rather thankless role, it just seems phony and forced. 2) An unnecessary and embarrassing full frontal nude scene didn’t add anything to the play; it just made me feel uncomfortable for the actor. 3) The wigs, while well done, sort of took over the play and it almost feels like a pageant of wigs at times. Part of the problem is, it’s impossible to depict hair cutting on stage and that’s the main plot point of the play! The Cut would really work better as a film. 4) The unlikeable protagonist, Derick. Frankly, he’s a bit creepy, pathetic and off-putting. Yes, he had childhood traumas that led to his psychological issues, but he’s still an unappealing subject for a play. The character needs to be filled out a bit, so we can feel more empathy for him. And, to be honest, I wasn’t thrilled with Michael LaDell Harris’s performance as Derick. I know it’s tough to play an unappealing character, but he doesn’t give any shading to the role and he doesn’t seem to be that invested in the performance. He has my sympathies for attempting such a downer of a role, but I don’t think he was well cast.

The Cut is a mixed bag. It has its moments, but I think it would play better as a film, and not a play. And, lose that damn doll.