SALT LAKE CITY — I had the pleasure of seeing True West by Sam Shepard, a story of the modern wild west, by Lil Poppet Productions at the Alliance Theatre in Trolley Square on June 21st. The show runs until June 28th–perfectly in time for the semi quincentennial anniversary of the first US Independence Day. The story centers on two brothers, Austin and Lee, who seem like polar opposites. Austin lives a classic, suburban, family life; while Lee drifts in the desert, untethered to familial duty. It’s been five years since they have seen each other, and they must reconcile in order to successfully launch one of their screenplays. It’s a redefinition of the American dream and the wild west as we know them; highlighting imperfection and individualism, and that dreams are often built on rocky relationships.
Design
Some of my favorite elements of the show were technical. True West is staged in the Alliance Theatre’s Main Hall, with pipe and drape dividers defining the theatre space. The warm toned flooring lent itself to the 80’s suburban desert home setting, and the show was performed in the round with limited seating, which gave it a personal atmosphere. I came into this show with no prior knowledge of it, but the immersive setting like this serves this script very well. The sound design (by director Morag Shepherd) added to the immersion, and underscored transitions and monologues well. Two specific instances of underscoring were especially effective. The first being, Lee’s monologue about a coyote that finishes with a howl. Second, Lee’s description of his two screenplay characters who are both afraid but unaware that the other is as well–similar to Austin and Lee in that moment. The music swelled as each monologue came to a climax, and cut out eerily as they finished. Cricket and nightlife played as a soundscape throughout and coyote howls could be heard every so often. In the few moments of complete silence, it effectively raised tensions.
Editor’s Note: Photos will be added when available.
Acting
Actors David Knowell, who plays Austin, and Jesse Nepivoda, who plays Lee, both beautifully brought these characters to life through their devotion to physicality. Each actor embodied the anxiety, mistrust, fear, and ultimately admiration the characters felt towards one another. I especially appreciated Nepivoda’s dedication to each acting choice. When he told a story in
character, he immersed himself in that world by imagining it outwardly. When he delivered a comedic line, he gave a dead pan look with an uninterested tone. This deep dive into every
choice made Lee’s ups and downs seem more jarring and chaotic. Knowell as Austin excelled at genuine reactions in character. As he received lines from his cast mates, the audience could see character thoughts turning in his mind. His meek appearance and calm replies perfectly contrasted Lee’s constant rollercoaster of emotions. Even more so, when Austin starts unraveling towards the end of the show, he juxtaposes his earlier self–the one with composure and self control.
However, the actors seemed apprehensive about some of their fight choreography. It was a small space, often littered with cans, but when the actors came together to make contact, there seemed to be slight hesitation. For me, that hesitation lessened the stakes of the fights and brought me out of the story.
This script interestingly has two smaller characters, Saul the producer–who causes more tension between the brothers–and Mom–who concludes with a reality check. Teressa Sanderson as Mom gave an effective conclusion as she surveyed her sons and her home in a state of perpetual shock, and Jacob Barnes gave energetic life to Saul Kimmer. As Saul tries to convince Austin of a later idea, Barnes’ vocals weren’t fully convincing as they did not sound certain or authoritative.
Direction
The small cast did well in selling the story to the audience. The direction of True West in Salt Lake was strong . Director Morag Shepherd was able to successfully conduct the ebbs and flows of high and low tension in the script; which kept the audience hooked. One of the strongest low tension moments included Austin and Lee drinking on the floor, discussing their dad and his drunken wanderings. Shepherd slowly builds tension through setting, props, and acting, but also by small outbursts along the way from each brother. The alcohol they drink throughout the show gets stronger and stronger, from light beer all the way to Jack Daniels whiskey. Austin has three costume changes before intermission, and while Lee has none the set gets more and more cluttered from their interactions. Austin stops having costume changes, and in the final moments of the show, each outburst is validated by a high stakes brawl between Austin and Lee. All of this thoughtful direction allowed True West to come across so well, and especially at a time where our country is so divided, like the two brothers.
Reccomendation
Lil Poppet Productions put on an impactful showing of True West, the actors and crew made it come to life, and I would recommend seeing it! Utah’s general public may not be used to seeing many shows like this, but the intimate setting, the timely themes, thoughtful direction, and powerful acting make this a show worth seeing. The American dream is not perfect, and the wild west is not always idyllic, but True West depicts a struggle for accomplishment we are all familiar with.
MORE INFO: True West is showing at the Alliance Theatre in Trolley Square at Salt Lake City (602 East 500 South, S 600 E Suite E101 580 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84102) through June 28th.
Showings range from 2pm, 4pm, and 7:30pm depending on the day. Tickets are available for $25 and pay what you can. Lil Poppet Productions is putting on a full season of shows in a “Wild
Americana” style. Check their website for information about upcoming shows and their locations at https://www.lilpoppetproductions.org/