‘Vesuvius’ rumbles at SCR

Tom Titus

Rumblings, both of the geological and biological variety, permeate

Lucinda Coxon’s new play “Vesuvius,” currently in its world premiere

at South Coast Repertory.

And, although nature’s upheavals are far more resounding than

those on the personal level, there are moments of human connection,

which, though brief, amplify and attempt to connect this somewhat

disjointed experience.

Under the direction of South Coast Repertory patriarch David

Emmes, “Vesuvius” alternates between discoveries in the ruins of

Pompeii and the emotional flurries that provide the weight and

balance of the 90-minute continuous drama.

Coxon does not fully identify her principal characters, presenting

them merely as “the man” and “the woman,” although each brings some

heavy personal baggage on the anthropological journey.

He is completing a book, while she is searching for identification

in the ruins of the volcano-devastated city of Pompeii from AD 79.

Neither Natacha Roi, as the woman, nor Tony Ward, as the man, is

seeking an emotional connection when they discover they must share a

villa in Pompeii during the course of their work. In fact, they --

she in particular -- initially resist even the most basic form of

civility.

Roi, playing an Englishwoman who’s spent her 39 years avoiding

commitment, lashes out acerbically at New Zealander Ward’s attempts

at comradeship. Ward attempts to lighten the situation, but

nevertheless bristles powerfully when Roi’s caustic comments get

under his skin. Their eventual interaction as the earth shakes,

literally, beneath them is brief but impassioned.

Peripheral characters include a young explorer (Bobby Plasencia),

an Indian doctor who’s never left London (David Paul Francis), and a

girl with Down syndrome (Jennifer Hinds, an actress who has the

condition), who ignites memories of Roi’s late brother. They function

as touch points in the backgrounds of the man and woman.

Atmospheric elements intensify Coxon’s drama and virtually wrest

the play from its actors. Christopher Barreca’s multiple

scorched-earth settings focus on the base of Vesuvius, while Tom

Ruzika’s lighting and particularly Lindsay Jones’ spectacular sound

design envelop the audience with a crescendo of technical wizardry.

“Vesuvius” is informed by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and

constitutes a haunting presence as the play’s characters delve into

those of AD 79. It may not be fully connected, but it’s a riveting

experience.