Circumstances for a bitter ex-cop in dire straits improve
through legal as well as nonconventional ways in Stephen Adly Guirgis’ Pulitzer
Prize-winning “Between Riverside and Crazy,” presented by San Jose Stage
Company.
He’s Walter “Pops” Washington (L. Peter Callender),
who’s about to lose his rent-controlled apartment on New York City’s Riverside
Drive because he’s violating his lease.
He was forced to retire from the NYPD eight years
ago after being shot six times by a fellow officer. Instead of accepting the
department’s settlement offer, he engaged an attorney to fight it. Since then, his
wife has died.
Still, he has opened his apartment to three people
he calls guests. One is his son, Junior (Rondrell McCormick), an ex-con who
still deals in stolen merchandise.
Another is Junior’s sexy, pleasant but dense
girlfriend, Lulu (Tiffany Tenille). Finally there’s another ex-con and
recovering alcoholic-drug addict, Oswaldo (Juan Amador).
They all live there rent-free and call their
benefactor Dad. They all urge him to accept the settlement.
Also urging him to accept are his former partner, Detective
Audrey O’Connor (Allison F. Rich), and her fiancĂ©, the pompous Lt. Caro (George
Psarras).
The real turning point, however, arrives via the
Church Lady (Damaris Divito), whose visit ends with a highly unusual seduction.
The outcome leads to reconciliation between Walter
and Junior and a new life for Walter.
Well directed by Jeffrey Lo, the strong cast is led
by the ever-reliable Callender, whose Walter can be both acerbic and humorous.
The others also are outstanding.
The set by Christopher Fitzer reflects Walter’s sad
situation with a lighted Christmas tree even though it’s several months later.
Costumes by Ashley Garlick, lighting by Michael
Johnson and sound by Steve Schoenbeck complement the production.
With its expletives and adult situations, this is
not for children. Because the company’s theater is so intimate, it’s also more
intense than the noteworthy production by American Conservatory Theater in 2015.
Nevertheless, it’s worthwhile for adults.
Running about two hours and 10 minutes with one
intermission, “Between Riverside and Crazy” will continue through Dec. 16 at
San Jose Stage Company, 490 S. First St., San Jose.
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