Glass Bandits Theater Company presents the world premiere of "feeling." by Paul Cameron Hardy (a semi-finalist for the 2013 Page 73 Playwriting Fellowship), directed by Eddie Prunoske at the New Ohio Theatre.  It's great space populated by talented actors, but the play unfortunately doesn't back up its cast.

In this two-hour journey, we watch the intelligent, 30-year-old Emma deal with a break-up with her boyfriend of nine years: in the process, her brother flies in to make sure she is eating, she falls behind on her work, and the most remarkable thing happens when she drinks: she starts talking with the Milwaukee Cannibal, Jeffrey Dahmer.

Luke Robertson's tasteful yet disturbing portrayal of Dahmer is fascinating to watch; in his entrance, he creeps behind the blinds with a refreshing energy, adding much-needed color to the otherwise lackluster play.  Upon his arrival, the play is lifted from the basic relationship drama to something worth remembering.  Hardy's writing for Dahmer is intriguing and thought-provoking, and set and lighting designer Josh Smith creates a playground befitting the space and nature of Hardy's creation.

That said, I do wonder about the choice to keep certain scenes that seemed more like a Meisner exercise from an acting class than heightened dramatic events to drive the play along.  In the first scene of the play, for example, we watch the extraordinary Meredith Burns (Emma) take the first stifled breath after Alex, her boyfriend, walks out on her; the scene seems designed to give the actor Ben Mehl more time on stage more than anything else.  Later, Burns is directed to stare out in contemplation over the lost relationship spanning the length of an entire song played on vinyl, a choice falling very much into the 'let's not do that again' pile. It made the play feel over-indulgent.

The great thing about having actors that are interesting and engaging is their ability to make a play that needs a bit more crafting seem as polished as a pearl.  Other supporting characters include Janet (Donna Haley), who terrifically embodies the champion professor who makes Emma own up to her own downfalls and insists that she grow up.  Emma also has the same lesson being thrown at her from her brother Oliver (a nurturing Carl Holder), who stomps into her life, and who despite all his attempts, isn't able to bring her to new life.

Despite its flaws, this slice of life drama has great potential.  I'd still encourage audiences to see it for the wonderful performances and as an introduction to a creative team with the guts to share this play with the world.

Performances of "feeling." continue through October 26th. Check out our full event listing here: https://stagebuddy.com/listingdetail.php?lid=14468