How I Learned To Drive

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Honesty is the only way to go.

Paul Borrillo and C. Kelly Leo in CuriousÕ 10th anniversary production of How I Learned To Drive.

When a theatre company chooses to reprise a play that had a highly successful run, I always hold my breath. There are times, not many, but there are times a company rests on it laurels the second time out facing the consequences the second run isn’t able to hold a candle to the initial success.

Curious Theatre Company celebrates the beginning of its 10th season at the Acoma Center with its very first production, Paula Vogel’s 1998 Pulitzer Prize winning How I Learned To Drive with the original cast except for one.

Quite frankly, I held my breath.

Time, experience, growth play a huge part especially for C. Kelly Leo as L’il Bit and Paul Borrillo as Uncle Peck.

Ten years ago, I was knocked out with the total production. When Drive opened last Saturday night, I had to remind myself to periodically breathe with the additional depth and quality this reprisal offered.

Directed by Chip Walton, on the magnificent set designed by Richard Finkelstein, and sound and video designed by Brian Freeland, something about this production dug deeper, revealed more, and was embraced tighter by the cast than the first time around.

Even though ten years ago, child abuse and molestation was prevalent in the news, and the collective consciousness could accept its reality, it has become more so that the ugly reality creeps into even the most sacred and supposedly safe places.

Leo’s cynicism with L’il Bit’s attitude toward her family and life cuts deep into her expressions and physicality. Borrillo’s smugness and guilt for what Uncle Peck does and why he does it, seemingly having no control over his actions, rides high in the saddle side by side with every shrug of his shoulders, every raised eyebrow, and every curve and kink of his smile.

Borrillo digs deep into the human psyche providing a man who knows what he is doing, knows that it is wrong, promising he won’t do anything she doesn’t want him to do. Uncle Peck also knows how vulnerable a 15-year-old girl can be, and that as a respected trusted adult he has tremendous power over her decisions. Borrillo brings that out with every calculated word, every move he instructs Uncle Peck to make, showing also a surprising vulnerability living within this uncle.

Leo reaches back into the experience of a curious vulnerable, 15-year-old child with raging teen-age hormones laying it out with frightening reality for everyone to absorb.

A natural comedienne, Denise Perry’s embrace of the Female Greek Chorus portraying L’il Bit’s mother and aunt provides an even more humorous portrayal then ten years ago, if that is possible. Her portrayal sharpens the attitude of family members who are very much aware that something not right goes on within the context of the family, hiding the eyes in a closed wooden locked box with the thought it will just go away. Perry is both very funny, and poignantly sad defining parents uneasy over sexual education with children who need to understand transformations going on within them, and are denied the truth. Not because they are too young to understand, but because family members remain embarrassing uncomfortable addressing the issue, playing out their own ignorance.

Ironic, how an actor can be funny and tragic at the same time. Perry accomplishes that truth with skillful integrity and downright hysterical antics.

Melanie Owen Padilla knocks the socks off as the Teenage Greek Chorus and as L’il Bit’s grandmother. Funny, ignorant, an uptight woman of her time along with teen age unthinking joshing and teasing.

The scenes depicting the different attitudes of three generations are both hilarious and keenly perceptive.

Michael Moran’s addition to the cast as the Male Greek Chorus fits snugly into the context punctuating humor and attitude crying out to be highlighted.

How I Learned To Drive allows L’il Bit as a 37-year-old mature woman to narrate succinctly her family experiences connected with learning to drive from her Uncle Peck. Through flashbacks, into the 1960’s her remembrances of conversations with family around the dining room table reveal family ties and relationships. Humorously, she describes where and how family nicknames came to be.

Although there is the wanting of society to pigeon hole child abuse and molestation to “dirty old sleazy men,” the truth lies frequently it is only a “dirty old sleazy secret” instigated by caring, loving, personable family members who know secrets and fear to be powerful allies.

Directed with Walton’s keen eye for detail, the action flows comfortably from present to past memories with eased clarification. Leo switches gears with smooth dexterity from teen-age innocence to designated adult cynicism. She learns her lessons well, including the importance of paying attention while at the wheel.

Freeland’s poignant signs flashing above the stage referring to necessary driving techniques along with the matter of fact driving instructions bring as much shuddering to the play as do the characters’ thoughtless meaningful jabs in school settings, and family members well-meaning innuendoes and comments.

Richard Devin’s lighting design works in harmony with Finkelstein’s set, Freeland’s sound and video, Walton’s staging, and the actors’ sharp portraits of the characters. Janice Benning Lacek and Emilee Cooper’s costume designs take the characters and actors into defined modes of appearance completing the total picture of humored horror and horrid humor.

Marcus Waterman takes over the role of Uncle Peck from Borrillo September 20. There is no question, from past experience; Waterman will pick up where Borrillo leaves off.

With the incredible theatre schedule in the current offering in the metro area, Curious’ production of How I Learned To Drive is an absolute must see. Correction. This isn’t a play one sees. It is not possible to see with objectified eyes. It is a play to be experienced with the totality of one’s entire being.

Vogel’s brilliantly written play shown brightly when it was first written as an exceptionally vital addition to our society. Ten years after Curious first produced it, it proves to be even more vitally significant then ever, partially because of its content, partially because of its perception, and partially because this cast reaches deep within its soul into dark frightening places pasting realistic humor where realistic humor lives with honor.

This production of How I Learned To Drive demonstrates the intense intelligent creativity living within the context of the Curious Theatre Company.