Which is it?
San Diego Rep’s Water and Power is OK, but it’s gotta discover its niche
The rain machine that rings the stage in San Diego Repertory Theatre’s current Water and Power works a little too well. Last weekend, a patron was doused to the point she had to leave her seat, seeking drier climes a row away until the storm passed. No life-altering trauma for her, I’m sure—besides, the little interlude was downright endearing during a play that’s anything but.
To be sure, Water and Power has its moments. Richard Montoya’s script is colorful and imaginative, and hands down, Mike Genovese takes the ultra-coveted Westlin Award for his turn as The Fixer, a sleazy power broker who’s forgotten more rules than the L.A. Police Department has allegedly broken. Yet there’s something overly sentimental about it all, as if the central characters are embroiled equally in a weepy family squabble and in a course of events that may change the face of Los Angeles politics. For all its imposing stage presence, Water and Power never quite decides what it wants to be.
The piece does present a rare chance to check out Culture Clash, arguably the country’s most popular Latino troupe, noted for its city-specific theatrical treatments. Water and Power represents a departure from satire, the collective’s stock in trade. Brothers Gilbert and Gabriel Garcia (Richard Trujillo and Herbert Siguenza) are flush with the prospects for their own professional clout, Gil as a rising U.S. senator and Gabe as a decorated L.A. police lieutenant. Early on, the boys’ dad declared that Gilbert would be known as Water and Gabriel as Power per the family mantra (“There is no power without water and no water without power”)—but the latter has fueled a scandal that may decimate both men’s careers and lives, with the city of Los Angeles bearing the brunt.
Director Sam Woodhouse exploits the brothers’ love-hate relationship with precision, and he’s likely the main force behind Genovese’s stunning performance—but that sense of clarity also colors the boys’ interactions with characters like street poet Norte / Sur (an outstanding Bobby Plasencia), confined to a wheelchair after having been shot by Gabriel. There’s a certain monotony to the scenes, with the flashbacks into the boys’ lives assuming the same urgency as the main plot. A sordid tale of realpolitik unfolds, but the under-story takes on a life of its own, and we’re never quite sure which show we’re being asked to watch.
James Newcomb’s fight direction brings excellent definition to the brothers’ characters. The fisticuffs come fast and furious, and Newcomb’s not the least bit shy about using the stage to exploit them. Sound designer Tom Jones chose some early Led Zeppelin for his music beds, which is great—problem is, the cuts are too well-known to serve as short clips, and we find ourselves wanting to hear more.
The rain-machine girl has toweled off by now, and even amid her little mishap, she watched this thing intently while crouching on a step. This show will hold your attention to the same degree, but not for the reasons you’d hoped. It’s got topnotch production values, and the story will surely touch your heart. Rarely will it speak to your soul.
This review is based on the opening-night performance of Oct. 26. Water and Power runs through Nov. 16 at
The Lyceum Theatre space, 79 Horton Plaza, Downtown.
$34-$39. 619-544-1000 or www.sdrep.org.
Write to marty@edarts.info and editor@sdcitybeat.com.
Published: 10/28/2008
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