“Isn’t it amazing when something exceeds your expectations?” These are the words my mother said to me over the phone as I explained my experience seeing Jonathan Caren’s “The Recommendation.” From the plot to the acting, this 3-person play at the tiny Flea Theater in Tribeca went above and beyond any assumption I had when I first sat down at 7 pm Monday night.
I attended this show with Adona and Diana. As we walked in to the theater, we all silently thought the same thing: where are we and what are we doing here? The Flea Theater is very small, and the play being in its basement simply reminded me of the plays my cousins and I used to put on in my living room. Originally, the atmosphere seemed very unprofessional. We were seated in the first out of two rows of foldable chairs – not exactly the type of seats you’d think you’d be sitting in at a legitimate play. Imagine this: an almost average-sized basement filled with two rows of chairs, with the rest being the ‘stage.’ It’s easy to understand why I would find it difficult to feel the ambiance. Yet, as soon as the show started, I had no problem whatsoever. The acting, the music, and the lighting all contributed to this and I have to say, I was extremely impressed.
The plot, while simple, was extremely deep and powerful. It tells the tale of two men who meet in college – white, well-to-do Aaron Feldman, or simply Feldman, and black, average Iskinder Idoku, or Izzy. Feldman, who aspires to become a successful filmmaker, lives a more lax life, as opposed to Izzy, the son of an Ethiopian immigrant, who works hard as a law student because he has no other choice. These college room mates become best friends, and Feldman takes it upon himself to use his connections – i.e. his wealthy lawyer father – to help Izzy advance in his life; that’s what friends do, right? The story continues by conveying other ways Feldman lends a hand to his best friend; he even allows Izzy to use his father’s credit card to go suit shopping.
The play carries on through their lives, and we find Izzy as a thriving lawyer and Feldman as a struggling movie assistant. I found it very interesting to see the roles reversing a bit, later on realizing the foreshadowing that was taking place. After some time, Feldman finds himself in jail for what he thinks is a broken taillight (we later find out that he was driving with a suspended license). In his holding cell, Feldman meets Dwight Barnes, a black man who doesn’t seem all there. After his parents decide to teach him a lesson and refuse to pay bail, Feldman must rely on this stranger if he wants to make it out alive of this unfamiliar world. Things progress, the two somehow end up in an actual county jail, and Feldman admits a shocking confession about a crime he committed at 15 to Dwight. Dwight promises to keep the secret to his grave and the two come to an agreement to “scratch each others back”: Dwight would help Feldman get out of jail so long as Feldman returns the favor with the assistance of his lawyer father. Once Feldman is released from jail, he neglects his deal with Dwight. Five years later, Feldman fulfills his lifelong dream of making a movie and Izzy, a highly successful lawyer, decides to take a certain criminal’s pro bono case – Dwight Barnes. Feldman begs Izzy to drop the case, out of fear that the criminal would be angry with him and would reveal his offence to the world. Izzy must make a choice between obeying Feldman’s wish and helping Dwight. This choice symbolizes something greater: should Izzy comply with best friend, or assist someone of his race?
“The Recommendation” proceeds, and the themes of loyalty, friendship, race become very prevalent and important. The relationship between Izzy and Feldman is highly strained. Tensions rise as Feldman explains that after all he’s done for Izzy, he’s never asked for anything in return. Izzy, hurt by this, states he never actually asked for anything – Feldman offered – and he now feels like some sort of charity case for a rich white kid. The lines between right and wrong become hazy and it’s clear that things may never be the same between these two men. I don’t want to give the end away because I do strongly recommend you see this before it closes next week! I will say, however, the ending was very powerful and I was on the edge of my seat until the lights turned back on.
Playwright Jonathan Caren did a fantastic job in writing this story; however, his writing was not the only superb aspect of this show. The acting, by Austin Trow, James Fouhey, and Barron B. Bass, was outstanding. Because it was just the three of them, they were constantly performing, and I was extremely impressed by the energy they had. One part that really stuck with me was when Fouhey switched on and off from playing a crack addict in the jail cell to playing Izzy. It was crazy to watch him make this transformation in a matter of seconds. I paid close attention to this, even though he wasn’t the main character of the scene. Because there was a lot going on between Feldman and Dwight during that part, it was really interesting to see him acting in such a detailed way on the off chance that the audience was watching him. Another notable aspect was the fact that there was no stage crew – these diligent actors moved props on and off the main stage area while continuing their acting. One would think that this would create a distraction, yet it was quite the contrary. It just reminded me how dedicated and hardworking these men were.
One additional element I’d like to point out was the experience as an audience member. These actors would include viewers into the play. For example, because I was in the first row, I was handed a job resume, as one of the men were applying for a job. It was really amusing to feel like an actual part of the show, and I’ve never experienced that. Overall, I had an extremely enjoyable time watching “The Recommendation” – the story was genuinely one for the books and the cast was incredible. This play truly did exceed my expectations and really changed my views on small production plays. If you have the chance to get there before it’s closing October 7th, I highly suggest it.
The foldable chairs we sat in
