Review: “Pete Rex”

This Jurassic-Park-themed rollercoaster glides up and down emotional slopes, leaving you guessing at every new genre turn.                   

Pete (Greg Carere) is going through a breakup with Julie (Rosie Sowa) with the help of his best friend Bo (Simon Winheld) and the football videogame, Madden. It seems like Madden was always there for him, comforting and taking his thoughts away, even when the relationship with his girlfriend was viable. Tired of Pete’s immaturity and life in New Kensington, Julie is set to flee to New York. A sudden invasion of dinosaurs in their small town jeopardizes her plans and she finds herself trapped in the man-cave of her ex, along with a mutual friend, Bo.  

Rosie Sowain and Greg Carere in Pete Rex. Photo by Hugh Mackey

The situation outside escalates, the glimpses of which are brought to us by the fine sound design by Megan Culley. The apocalyptic storm blends with dinosaurs’ roars; the bits of the TV news cast only confirm their worst fears. Inventive lighting by Remy M. Leelike supports the cinematic Creature Features atmosphere. And when you think it couldn’t get any worse, the inner dragons start to come out, making Pete Rex a whole other animal.  

I personally found it hard to sympathize with Pete, whose videogame addiction seemed more like a syndrome of a lazy mind than depression. The abundant Madden ’07 references and metaphors didn’t hit home either. But, thankfully, Alexander V. Thompson chose to dress up Pete’s inner conflict in something truly spectacular, namely a very polite and extravagant looking Tyrannosaurus named Nero (Simon Winheld’s much more successful part). Caitlin Cisek created a funky costume, which plays perfectly on the show’s two dominant emotional waves: hilarity and horror.   

The seamless transition between different genres is Pete Rex’s greatest asset and a rewarding source of surprises. You literally have no idea what is going to happen next! The otherwise uneventful breakup between two unremarkable 30-something-year-olds suddenly becomes a nerve-wracking thriller/apocalyptic action/psychological drama. Sowa was very responsive to the emotional turns of the play, Winheld shined anew as Nero. Carere, on the other hand, remained rather uninspiring and careful on one of the previews that I attended.

The overgrown teenager’s room designed by Caitlin Cisek featured an outline of a cave entrance/chaps opening, on the back wall, smartly hinting on the duality of the setting. Projections of the silhouette stop-motion cartoons punctuate Pete Rex and are reminiscent of ancient cave drawings. The chamber theater B at 59E59 Theaters creates an impression of full immersion. When the giant dinosaur is pounding on the roof and the lamp is rocking on the celling, I could almost feel the ground shaking. Playing with the scale is definitive of Pete Rex, and giving the audience a chance to experience something bigger than the theater itself is a good find.          

__________         

Pete Rex plays at 59E59 Theaters, 59 East 59th street, through March 3rd, 2018. The running time is 1 hour 15 minutes with one intermission. Performances are Tuesday through Saturdays at 7:30, Sunday at 2:30. Tickets are $25, and are available by calling (212) 279-4200 or at 59e59.org.

Pete Rex  is by Alexander V. Thompson. Directed by Brad Raimondo. It is produced by The Dreamscape Theatre. Set and Costume Design are by Caitlin Cisek. Lighting Design is by Remy M. Leelike. Sound Design is by Megan Culley. The Production Stage Manager is Patrick Harnett-Marshall.

The cast is Greg Carere, Rosie Sowa, and Simon Winheld.