Spring Break
Walnut Street dazzles with 'Criminal Hearts'
Lydia Hryshchyshyn
Issue date: 4/10/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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Ata Windust's husband has just left, and the end of her marriage has tipped her already delicate psyche over the edge. Her days are filled with the consumption of Dr. Pepper and pizza as well as the task of sharpening boxes of pencils. Wib's ex-husband has left the expensive condo in Chicago empty, except for her wardrobe and a mattress. In her distress, Ata is incapable of getting herself out the front door. It seems things cannot get any worse, until one night a burglar comes in through the window. Bo has been casing the condo for weeks and is shocked and horrified to find the swank condo is empty of all its valuables. Ata beseeches her not to harm her since they are "both woman." The women bond over a series of half-truths and Ata allows Bo to leave with no consequences. Bo returns a few weeks later after robbing one of Ata's neighbors to find Ata doing no better than before. Feeling empathy for Ata, or possibly seeing an opportunity, Bo convinces Ata to leave the house with the intent of revenge. Bo, Ata and Bo's partner, Robbie, will pull a job and get Ata's things back from her ex-husband. The play comes to a climax as truths, intentions and plans are revealed when Ata, Bo, Robbie and Wib end up together in the apartment.
Jennie Eisenhower (Ata) has an amazing energy onstage and completely sucks the audience into the thoughtful and crazy musings of her character. She moves seamlessly from jumping on the bed in excitement to shaking in anger with a gun. Her many monologues never feel contrived or lack motivation, instead she creates compassion for the character as the audience roots for her to finally get over her mental blocks. Kaci M. Fannin (Bo) is the perfect tough counterpart to Ata's crazy, out of touch idealist role. From the moment her voice echoes in the dark apartment, it's clear that not only does she mean business, but that she will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. The juxtaposition of the two actresses creates an interesting ying and yang of personalities and appearances. Their chemistry makes for a believable friendship despite its being built on half-truths. Damon Bonetti (Robbie) as the con-man partner and Lenny Haas (Wib) as the playboy ex-husband in supporting roles round out the cast of "Criminal Hearts."
The theatre space is unusual in that it is a small, intimate black-box as opposed to a large theatre. This draws the audience directly into the action of the apartment and makes the emotions larger than life. The barren apartment is a disarray of pizza boxes and empty cans immediately giving clues to Ata's emotional state. Additionally, the small space creates the caged, trapped feeling that Ata experiences because she cannot mentally escape the apartment. The two-act play is the perfect length and the oscillation between humorous mishaps and thought provoking revelations moves the play along at a steady pace. Interestingly, the author of the play, Jane Martin, is a pen name and there is only speculation as to the true identity of the author.
"Criminal Hearts" is certainly worth seeing for its insight into human relationships as well as its endless humor. The show runs through April 19 and more information is available at www.walnutstreettheatre.org.
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