‘Staccato’ takes a look at backstage backstabbing

‘Staccato’ takes a look at backstage backstabbing

Black comedy scrutinizes Hollywood, pleases audience at Tiffany
Theater

By Jennifer Richmond

Daily Bruin Staff

Backstabbing is a daily routine in Hollywood. Stars are hot one
minute, then not the next. And if you step on people during your
trip to the top, it will boomerang back to you in the end. That’s
the premise of this dark look at Hollywood in David Knapp’s
"Staccato."

Gary Pallenberg (Cameron Watson) is the "golden boy" for a film
studio. He’s written several popular screenplays, but recently his
work has been sliding because of his current girlfriend, Julie
Herrera (Sarah MacDonald), a star heading for the top. To bring his
writing back up to speed, the studio execs put Gary with well-known
screenwriter Cameron McAllister (Eugene Robert Glazer).

Cameron is everything Gary’s not. Blunt, sarcastic, and an
alcoholic ­ Cameron has seen Hollywood at its best and worst.
He knows the game and has decided to be Gary’s teacher during their
time together.

Gary, although excited about the partnership, is intimidated by
the demanding writer. Gary hasn’t learned about the backstabbing or
the grime that Hollywood floats in. He still sees it as the
glorious tinsel town of the ’30s and ’40s.

Just as their two characters are different, so are the two
actors. Watson plays his naïve Gary with a punch perfect for
Knapp’s script. His moods swing back and forth with ease, changing
for each of his co-stars from self-conscious, to nervous, to
disgusted. His reactions are always appropriately in line with the
situations his character’s in.

Glazer instead never changes his attitude. From start to finish
the actor is the same abrasive asshole. He stands behind what he
writes not caring who he hurts ­ and at this time he wants
desperately to hurt Gary’s girlfriend. Just like Julie, he’s out
for blood. But every so often the audience sees a sensitive side to
Glazer’s Cameron that’s well worth noting.

Later in the play, Julie threatens Cameron not to print their
script or else several people, including his precious ingenué
Gary, will get hurt. (She happens to have incriminating video tapes
of each in a compromising position.) He doesn’t let the threat get
to him though, but rather turns the fault on her.

Glazer’s heartfelt performance involves the audience so entirely
that by the end of the scene they’ve finally learned Julie’s true
persona. His emotion-filled piercing remarks reveal the reason
behind Cameron’s alcoholism and lust for revenge. While there are
several other scenes in which Glazer proves his ability, this is
the one that hits the nail on the head.

MacDonnell also knocks out the audience. She does a bang-up job
as Julie, and by the end it’s obvious the word "bitch" was created
specifically for her character. Julie uses people and throws them
away. There’s a long trail of used actors, writers and producers
behind her; and she doesn’t care about any of them. Her main
interest is how far up the ladder they’ll take her.

In the same scene, MacDonnell’s brilliant acting shines through.
Her main interest at this point is not losing her place in the star
system; and she’ll go to any length to make sure she doesn’t get
screwed ­ she lets both Cameron and the audience know that in
no uncertain terms. Her threat of blackmail is real and her stare
would freeze the devil. If there’s any character that exudes as
much hate and detest as it receives from the audience, it’s without
question MacDonnell’s Julie Herrera.

While these three characters all have dark sides that rule them
and the production, it’s their charm and dry wit that makes Knapp’s
black comedy an evil delight ranking up there with Robert Altman’s
"backstage" film noir, The Player.

As Cameron says to Gary’s back in the last scene while also
speaking directly to the audience, "I told you we were going to
have nothing but fun with this."

STAGE: "Staccato." Written by David Knapp. Directed by Ron Link.
Starring Cameron Watson, Eugene Robert Galzer and Sarah MacDonnell.
Running through March 19 at the Tiffany Theater Thursday through
Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. TIX:$22.50-25. For more
info call (310) 289-2999.