Review 'Suicide in B Flat' deep, challenging

Intuitons opened its new show last night, and it is definitely only for audiences looking for a challenge. Suicide in B flat stretches the limits of the audience's capacity to understand with a psychological melodrama that only very dedicated viewers will be able to enjoy. The play's main storyline deals with the investigation of the apparent suicide of one of the most popular and famous musicians of that time, Niles. But the play is also heavy with psychological subplots. The detectives, the lead roles in the play, are portrayed by College junior Michael Pomerantz and College junior Jonathan Mattingly. The duo plays a Dragnet-like good cop/bad cop combination. They both give very physical performances, jumping, falling, fighting and wrestling at different times in the show. Mattingly turns in a very convincing performance, especially when battling the hidden forces that try to kill him with a knife. Pomerantz also gives a very good performance, at times being extremely melodramatic, at others providing some very well received comic relief. All of the play's performances are very good, as the actors appear to truly identify with their characters, as bizarre as they may be. College freshman Michael Breslow's character was especially well played, with a good combination of strangeness and simplicity to it. College sophomores Alexandra Lopez and Carolyn Kelson did an excellent job of directing the play. No details were left uncompleted, and even scenes that were hard to visualize, such as Mattingly's wrestling with hidden forces, seemed real. The lighting also added to the play, as the audience's attention was effectively directed from one scene to another and the different lights came right on time, giving the play a very professional aura. Just about everything that was up to the cast and staff was good. The only problem with Suicide in B flat is that it will be hard to understand for some -- if not most -- of students that go to the play. The play is very deep, profound and challenging. Students looking for a play that will challenge their minds and intellects should definitely go to this well-acted performance. Students looking for a more relaxed show might be advised to think twice about seeing it. Intuitons' Suicide in B Flat will continue tonight through Saturday, each night at 8 p.m. in Houston Hall Auditorium. Tickets are $5 and will be sold on Locust Walk or at the door.

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