Capital T Theatre's Trevor

Chimp anxiety: (l-r) Molly Fonseca, Rebecca Robinson, and Jason Newman in Trevor (Photo by Capital T Theatre)

Trevor

The first character to enter the stage in Capital T Theatre's production of Nick Jones' play Trevor is, unmistakably, a chimpanzee. Trevor (Jason Newman) barges into the living room, arms swinging low, frustrated and sullen. He starts talking about how he hasn't had an acting gig in forever. He used to have a great career as a chimp in stage business. The lack of work is inexplicable to him.

Turns out, there's a lot that's inexplicable to Trevor. There is a storm of human emotions all around him. His human handler Sandra (Rebecca Robinson) is under fire in her community for not keeping better control of Trevor. Her neighbor Ashley (Molly Fonseca) is irate because Trevor has, in fact, just returned from having driven the car through the neighborhood. Sandra scolds Trevor and reluctantly offers to do a better job of hiding the keys, but it's clear she's delighted with her chimp-child's ingenuity. The suggestion that Trevor is an animal and should be regarded as such is deeply insulting to Sandra. But to Trevor? The humans are making lots of sounds he doesn't recognize and failing to line up more work for him.

The play runs on the parallel tracks of these two internal lives. Recently widowed, Sandra has formed such a bond with Trevor over the years that she can see only the parts of his being that she can relate to or interpret on her terms. Likewise, Trevor sees everything the humans around him do through the framework of his chimpanzee consciousness, which is hilariously rendered conversationally to the audience but, at the same time, proves increasingly dangerous. He speaks like the stereotype of a washed-up star who can't get agents to return his calls, but soon enough it's evident that he has lived so long within a human context that he is unable to function as a chimp, yet can't fully suppress his nature, either.

As an adolescent chimp, Trevor is also much stronger than the baby primate that charmed the town years ago. Sandra is a case study in denial, but the other humans who encounter him are more than aware. The danger grows as Trevor's reactions become more agitated and aggressive when he hears Ashley's infant son crying next door.

The script offers the audience something much more complex than just a humorous commentary on out-of-work actors or a mockery of people who forget that animals can be dangerous. It is funny, but at its core it speaks to the ways that primates attempt to act within and outside of their natures. In this portrayal, both human and chimp are equally capable of self-delusion.

Mark Pickell's work as both director and scenic designer is impressive. His casting choices in this production are impeccable, and the show's pacing is excellent. Actors shouting onstage can be easily overdone, but in this show, each moment of raised volume is valid. The set is also an example of how to make a uniquely shaped space like Hyde Park Theatre into a set that works from multiple angles.

Knowing that within the story a small child is in danger will create the ideal tension for some and almost unbearable anxiety for others, depending on perspective. The final scene struggles as a denouement, but it's the lone blip in a script and a production that prove an engrossing vehicle for a cast of great performers.