Drunken, promiscuous, brawling, foul mouthed. If there’s a worse stereotype of poor white people in the South, I’ve yet to see it. Yes, it’s true that Southerners along the coast do have a tradition of getting together to party during a hurricane, but if I were from that part of the country, I’d be deeply offended by this play. In the dark, we hear the sounds of two people having vigorous sex, and when the lights go up, we’re treated to the spectacle of these folks “doing it” in the bedroom of a shabby, cheap little house “just South of the North Carolina border.” As they detach, the fact that both the woman, Macon (Sayra Player) and the man, Dana (Kevin Kane) are deeply unhappy becomes obvious. Not surprisingly, they both have spouses; Dana’s is the vacuous and less than completely truthful Caroline (Booker Garrett), while Macon’s husband is the vulgar and volatile Todd (Michael Abbott Jr.). Put these best pals together in a small space during a storm, add copious amounts of alcohol, sprinkle in some cocaine, and what could possibly go right? As the title tells us, there’s a hurricane coming; Macon is at the store stocking up for the party to come. While checking out with the essentials, junk food and plenty of beer, she strikes up a conversation with the woman behind the counter, Tabby (Lacy Marie Meyer). Tabby is very taken with Macon and tells her how beautiful she is. She will later show up at Macon’s house, having read the address on the check used for payment. With her will be her very good friend, Jade (Toni Lachelle Pollitt), who mesmerizes everyone with the story of her personal hurricane experience. All the actors do a fine job; their characters are clearly delineated, and every performance is full on. There’s not a note of inhibition and the wild energy onstage drives the play. Especially notable is Kevin Kane, who manages to add depth and sensitivity to Dana. Todd tells us that Dana had real potential, but now “You’re 41 and it’s over.” Michael Abbott Jr. brings an intriguing Steve Zahn quality to a role that in lesser hands could be just a terrifying jerk. As Tabby, Lacy Marie Meyer is both appalling and appealing; sparks fly whenever she appears. This is a deeply polarizing production. One row of spectators laughed loudly at nearly every line. But for the most part, audience members reacted as I did, stony faced and more than a little horrified with what was passing for humor. Playwright David Thigpen is from South Carolina, so if he’s trying to tell us something about the inhabitants of this deeply red state, maybe we should listen. On the other hand, it’s also the home of Stephen Colbert, and I don’t think he’d be any more comfortable at this Hurricane Party than we are.
