Actor's Power: Virtuosic Performance, Hollow Play?

The play "Kenrex," co-written by star Jack Holden and director Ed Stambollouian, presents a true-crime inquiry into violence and justice, focusing on Ken McElroy's terrorizing of a rural Missouri town. Holden performs alone onstage, embodying numerous characters with impressive impersonations and accents, accompanied by a live country-rock score. The production, lauded in the U.K. and earning Holden an Olivier Award, has been criticized in New York for surface-level engagement with its horrific subject matter.

While Holden's technical mastery is undeniable, with sequences showcasing his ability to conjure entire town scenes, the narrative's depth is questioned. The play draws on the well-documented story of McElroy, who evaded justice for years. Critics note that "Kenrex" often gestures toward cinematic tropes and the Coen Brothers' style without offering the same character complexity or surprising humanity. The handling of sensitive events, like McElroy's marriage to a 14-year-old girl, is seen as distant, focusing on broader societal cruelty rather than specific particulars.

A contrasting performance reviewed is "Rheology," by Shayok Misha Chowdhury, featuring his mother, theoretical physicist Bulbul Chakraborty. This play explores themes of mortality, inadequacy, and artistic process through a unique mother-son dynamic. Chakraborty, not a trained actor, delivers a charismatic performance. The piece intentionally blurs lines between performance and reality as the pair work through Chakraborty's staged death, blending intellectual inquiry with emotional exploration and humor.

"Kenrex" is playing at the Lucille Lortel Theater through June 27. "Rheology" is at Playwrights Horizons through May 16. The article contrasts Holden's virtuosic but potentially hollow performance in "Kenrex" with the more intimate and intellectually engaging "Rheology," questioning what truly makes theater compelling.