The first act of “Seared” opens with a chef preparing a meal on a functioning set wonderfully designed by Brian Prather. It’s hypnotic and revealing. Not only does it give chef Harry an aria moment, showing him as the happy king of his own domain, it defines him as being skillful as well as passionate about his profession.
A few scenes later, in the Capital Repertory Theatre production, we learn that besides being a brilliant chef, Harry is an arrogant egotist. After his scallop dish wins praise from New York Magazine he refused to make it again.
This decision drives his partner, Mike, crazy. He is the one who has fronted the money for the 16-seat Brooklyn restaurant. It is barely surviving and customers are not able to buy the dish for which the restaurant is now famous.
It’s a fascinating opening for the play written by Theresa Rebeck as it foreshadows the arguments to come about commerce and art.
And though it gives the first 60 minutes of the two act play a tension that can be wearing, it does enlighten the audience to Harry’s point of view. He argues that a perfect meal cannot be prepared without the finest of ingredients.
Mike counters with a lesson on Capitalism. If you don’t sell product, you go out of business.
When Mike brings in a female consultant, Emily, the arguments become three-sided. What were between the creative spirit and the entrepreneurial drive, now includes the element of soulless profit.
Appropriately for a show set in a restaurant, the table is set for a delicious second act. But, oddly, the act also opens with an even longer cooking scene. Even though still hypnotic, it’s clearly redundant.
It too is followed by an argument about Harry again refusing to recreate a perfect dish. This time it’s salmon.
It tells you everything, well almost everything, about “Seared.” It’s provocative, repetitive and too long by at least a half hour.
Thankfully, Rebeck stops repeating the first act and it rushes to a tense and satisfying conclusion.
The performances are flawless. As Harry, Caesar Samayoa refuses to take the many opportunities to dominate the play. He generously creates a low-key but brilliant man whose talent permits him to be a tyrant. His refusal to compromise makes Harry a frustrating and irritating presence, but he is rarely dislikable. Indeed, his interpretation of a self-important figure reminds us how many people, in many fields, we’ve all encountered who have their own giant egos.
Kyle Cameron captures all the frustrations of Mike’s situation. He likes Harry but understands that despite his skill the chef’s behavior is irrational and dangerous to his own financial well-being. Cameron’s work makes Mike’s passive behavior understandable.
Rin Allen makes the adversarial role of Emily almost charming. Clearly, she is devious and has her own agenda; however, Allen does not play her a villain. The actor makes it clear Emily wants to see the restaurant succeed. It’s just that she sees success through a less sentimental lens.
In only a few months, Jovan Davis is slowly becoming a regional favorite as the lovable waiter Rodney in his third show at The Rep. Once again, he almost steals the show with an unobtrusive performance. In “Seared” he is more than likable; he is the invisible hero.
Margaret Hall’s direction is laudable in the way she makes this an ideal ensemble piece. What is confusing is how she builds tension-filled scenes and yet permits the play itself to run too long.
“Seared” is a novel couple of hours in the theater. It’s a play that will offer audiences an intriguing look at behind the scenes of the restaurant industry and give the audience some things to discuss afterwards. For sure, the next time you eat out, you’ll be thinking of “Seared.”
It continues at The Rep in Albany through October 6. Tickets and schedule information at attherep.org
Bob Goepfert is theater reviewer for the Troy Record.
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.
