Let me preface this, once again, with me stating that I am a jerk and super-critical of almost all performance. Leave has a lot going for it, and really was a good play, I just tend to pick things apart. I really recommend you all go see it on Thursday, September 25, 2008 at the Bryant Lake Bowl. It's only $15 and is totally worth it.

Political and social commentary through theater is hardly a new trick. But for the play Leave, it seems that the trick is forced. While the character interactions were spot-on and almost resonating, the politics of gays in the military, as well as the various social forces flinging these young men around, seemed the most acted part of the play.

Seth is a young Marine who has come home from war in the Middle East and is surprising his partner Nicholas. Seth is a polarizing character: at once patriotic and charming, speaking of both duty and throwing puns to charm his partner, Nicholas. But Seth has been lonely in the desert, and when he meets Jonas, another young Marine, his duty to his partner is pushed to the limit. But here's the kicker, the "intimate contact" these two guys share is taking off each others' shirts and touching above the waist--only.

Nicholas is slightly less guilty than Seth, having flirted with the possibility of a fling with co-worker Tyson. But when Nicholas eventually finds out about Seth, it causes a small war and ignites various stand-offs: Seth & Nicholas, Nicholas & Jonas, Nicholas & Tyson, and Seth & Tyson. It also created an (unintentionally) hilarious Buffalo Bill moment when Nicholas declares that Seth must go and "scrub himself clean. You owe me that much." Nicholas' one shining moment is described below, but he essentially becomes a completely reactionary force, disregarding his ability to crush Seth back by breaking up with him.

Brief gay critique: I don't know of any of the young men on stage tonight were gay, but kudos for kissing and touching each other, cuddling in boxers affectionately. It was scary and you did it well. That being said, put some more gumption into it. Can you show us how your character would desire his husband? or his young Marine lover?

OK, I'm getting mean. But it seemed to degenerate at times into that lower life form of performance, soap opera. Various accusations flung about, who loves who, who needs what, who's lonely and all that. I didn't expect Brenda Dickson to walk on stage but I was getting fed up with it. And the gay humor that the group tried to inject into the play, which should have been charming and disarming to allow us to soak up their political commentary, was again forced and a bit over-the-top ("When we first met, we did it everywhere. His room, my room, down by the river... I can't believe I wasn't bowlegged.")

One character who I really did like with was the mom, Anne. You know how when your mom cries, you almost automatically cry with her? Anne brought this out, and it showed. Her ability to try and get her son out of the military, tell young Jonas (who has been disowned by his family) how he's so amazing, and try and mitigate the small homosexual disasters in her household. Her performance was clear, well-spoken, and shaped like a real mom. Despite her apparent helplessness she never seemed feckless, or resigned. She was the perfect mom character--just there, to pick up the pieces, bandage the cuts and scrapes.

The next character who I liked the best was ex-Army soldier Tyson (Keeping up? The guy who almost fooled around with Nicholas (not for lack of trying!)), who was able to be both the instigator of some of the crisis and also the mediator. He explains to Seth the depth of Nicholas' feelings for him--by having tested the limits himself. He brings Jonas into his bedroom, giving him a sexual and emotional rollercoaster--all the while telling him he won't write to him. He's an ambiguous character, a gift-of-a-character, who through his very contradictory manner seemed the most real.

And young Jonas... I couldn't help but feel charmed by the young redhead in fatigues, pretending to be soldier and wanting to jump Seth's bones. Despite being party to Seth's indiscretion, he becomes the focal point of the play. He asks the most important question to Nicholas: "When did you realize you loved him? How could you tell the difference from when you were just having a good time?" The emotional climax here is that Nicholas related a random story, a completely unimportant point in his life with Seth, that really clicked with me. Sometimes, relationships really do start at points that we can't expect. But before you think I'm totally crushing over Jonas, his ending sucked. The twist was blah and the metaphysical/afterlifey stuff he brought in at the end just didn't resonate with the rest of the play.

Another part of the play that was awesome were the fights. You know how when you get into a fight with your significant other, it's in the absolute weirdest places? Well, the playwright must've had experience with this because the fights happened while driving to a grocery store, lying in bed cuddling, the middle of the night, and of course, at the dining table with mom.

Ultimately, Leave is a great character drama that captures some of this poignant images in life: love blooming, love dying; fighting, and then making up for it. It shows different levels of intimacy--Seth and Nicholas standing in contrast to Seth and Jonas, and then Jonas to Tyson. But it's attempt to weave social & political commentary into the work comes up flat, and the final few moments of discussion concerning life, duty, etc etc just soured it. Stick to the characters, people--we can hear the pundits anytime.

Grade: B

On a final note, a lot of the performers were involved with the University of Minnesota, Morris. Go home team! I'm proud of you guys!