More Fun at the Fringe: Satanic Panic (or the Death of Al Pacino)

Actors Ray Beharah as Vince and and Michelle Leblanc as Zoey

The humour in this play may not be for everybody.  Billed as a “dark comedy”, Satanic Panic is set on Halloween night, where a beloved cat has been kidnapped (possibly by Satanists). If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, this probably isn't the show for you. That being said, the script is funnier than it is dark, and during the opening night performance the audience was laughing fairly constantly throughout the show.

Writer Mat Petrus has created an intelligent and funny story that moves in unanticipated plot directions, while simultaneously developing characters, and doesn’t go for the easy laughs.  It’s a testament to the strength of the script that the cast are willing to let  it do much of the work.

It has been said that in theatre “less is more”, yet so often there is a tendency for the cast to embellish and “ham” it up – especially in comedies. As such, I’m pleased that the Garkin Productions cast decided to play this one “straight”. This approach takes an incredible amount of effort, and, as an audience member, I appreciated the work. Some of the best moments in this play occur not when the characters are delivering lines, but when they are merely reacting to the action as it unfolds onstage.

One actor in particular, Rick Kaulbars, is deserving of special mention. He plays the role of Officer Larry -- a character who suffers from high anxiety and has a fascination with transcendental meditation. In an already strong cast, Mr. Kaulbars performance was the highlight of the show.

Satanic Panic cast members Ray Besharah, Rick Kaulbars, and Zach Counsil in action

Direction can sometimes be a difficult thing to judge, particularly because the audience never sees it taking place. I feel privileged, therefore, to have had the opportunity to witness Satanic Panic’s director Sterling Lynch in action. If you’ve read my other Fringe Festival reviews, it won’t surprise you to learn that my behind the scenes glimpse into the directorial process occurred in the beer tent after the show:

 

I happened to be nearby when a member of the cast expressed to Mr. Lynch some doubts regarding a few moments in the performance. This is fairly common in theatre.  By the time a production is staged, actors are so intimately familiar with the script that they can become hypersensitive to the trivial minutia that, to be frank, the audience is rarely ever aware of. Mr. Lynch’s advice for the performer was memorable: “Focus on what you did right, not on what you think you did wrong. If you beat yourself up and focus on negative things, you will bring your performance down, but if you concentrate on what you did well, you will raise your entire performance to a whole new level.”

Well said, Mr. Lynch.

If you like an intelligent script, interesting performances, and humour with a bit of an edge, then you’ll enjoy Satanic Panic. As always, look for me in the beer tent. I’m always interested in hearing what you have to say.

Satanic Panic (or the Death of Al Pacino) plays Saturday June 27 and Sunday June 28 at Venue #5 – the Arts Court Theatre at 2 Daly Ave. Click here for tickets.

Photos by Alan Dean

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