KEEP Brings Sibling Rivalry to Surprising Places  

Posted on April 21, 2016 by Marti Sichel in Playing Around

In Francesca Pazniokas’ KEEP, older sisters Kara (Jenna D’Angelo) and Jane (Madison Comerzon) decide once and for all to intervene on behalf of their youngest sister, Naomi (Kim Krane). She’s got a major hoarding problem, and they know that while part of the challenge will be picking through and cleaning out a nightmare of an apartment, the bigger challenge will be getting Naomi to accept their help and cooperate.

Kara and Jane know they could find some distressing things in there, and they do, but there’s more to uncover than the rotting remains of a pet cat. There’s a secret buried among all the piles of accumulated history, and an answer to the family’s most painful question: What happened to Margo?

Margo (Leslie Marseglia) never left Naomi’s side when they were kids, but no one has seen or heard from her in so long that they’ve just about given up hope of ever knowing the truth. As it turns out, Naomi has just been keeping piles of discarded junk to herself.

D’Angelo and Comerzon work nicely together as mismatched siblings, Kara full of anger and resentment as much as love and worry for Naomi, Jane highly ordered and always attempting to keep the peace and diffuse tension. In particular, Comerzon has a good sense of subtle comedic timing, bringing a number of much-appreciated moments of humor to the otherwise dark and tense play.

The reactivity between the two works really well, each sister dealing with the stress of the situation in a way that feels real and natural. Kara gets frustrated and wants to charge through and just get rid of everything without dillydallying about Naomi’s feelings. Jane wants to be supportive and kind, even though she knows there’s a problem. She’s delicate with Naomi, ignoring some of the bigger issues as much as she tries to ignore what she may be stepping on (or in) at any given moment.

Keep3_RussellRowlandKrane, for her part, makes Naomi feel bratty and combative, but also gives her the passion of someone who feels that she must hold the weight of history—her family’s as well as what she sees as the world’s—on her tiny shoulders. She sees her lifestyle as a sacrifice more than an illness that can be treated, and she will fight for every broken piece of furniture or stained rug in the place. She’s frustrating, but in a way that also elicits pity.

Pity because she seems so misguided. Things do not innately contain history—only what history we assign to them. Relationships, likewise, are only as strong and secure as we let them be. As pieces of the greater puzzle about Margo are revealed, the less and less sympathetic Naomi becomes as a character.

Director Stephanie Cunningham has made some surprising choices, especially when it comes to how to present Margo. After an initial shock, a complex character is revealed through something akin to a series of flashbacks, a missing sister’s surprising fate emerging out of the darkness as a sister’s jealousy is brought to light. It may make you wonder what comes next for these siblings, but that must be a story for another time—a story I would be curious to see.

Photos by Russell Rowland

KEEP
Playing at TBG Theatre
312 W. 36th Street
Through April 30, 2016

About Marti Sichel (71 Articles)
Marti Davidson Sichel is happy to be a part of such an impressive lineup of talented contributors. She has always loved the capital-A Arts. Some of her fondest early memories include standing starry-eyed at stage doors to meet musical cast members who smiled and signed playbills, singing along to Broadway classics and dancing as only a six-year-old can to Cats. She was also a voracious and precocious reader. The bigger the words and more complex the ideas her books contained, the better — even (especially) if a teacher raised an eyebrow at the titles. Marti’s educational and professional experience tends toward the scientific, though science and art are often more connected than they seem. Being able to combine her love of culture and wordsmithing is a true pleasure, and she is grateful to Woman Around Town’s fearless leaders for the opportunity. A 2014 New York Press Club award winner, Marti finds the trek in from Connecticut and the excursions to distant corners of the theater world as exciting as ever. When she’s not working, you can often find Marti in search of great music, smart comedy and interesting recipes.

© 2017 Woman Around Town. All Rights Reserved.