Microcrisis

Sorry to, again, drop off the face of the earth. It's been a crazy few weeks.

We interrupt this silence to bring you Michael Lew's Microcrisis, presented by Ma-Yi Theater Company and playing at HERE Arts Center through October 23rd. Full disclosure: I used to work for Ma-Yi. Also, Mike Lew was my intern supervisor when I was a minion for New Dramatists. So I was a bit nervous heading into the show, thinking (as I know we all often do), "Ah, crap. I really like all these people. What if all these people I like put up a lame show that I'm gonna have to pretend to enjoy?"

I should have known better. I'm pleased to report that no pretending is necessary. Mike Lew has given me the laugh that I haven't had at The Theatah in quite a while, and desperately needed. Microcrisis is not only timely, cynical, and well-executed; it's freakin hilarious.

The concept of the show is easy enough to explain: "A gut-busting look at what happens when scheming Wall Street bankers use the Nobel-prize winning concept of Microcredit to ravage the world economy" (stolen directly from Ma-Yi's website). In other words, it's like the current financial crisis, but with microcredit instead of mortgages. This sounds depressing - and it is - but getting depressed was never so much fun.

First of all: the cast. Alfredo Narciso is all cool sleaze as Bennett, the greedy "man behind the curtain", and Lauren Hines and David Gelles are all youthful-innocence-turned-Zuckerbergesque-greed as the clueless kids that Bennett snookers; but two actors in particular are gonna get some gushing from me. William Jackson Harper inhabits his multiple roles with magnificent comic timing, especially as a African microcredit borrower who gleefully ends everything with "THIS IS A JOKE!" And then there's Jackie Chung. Dear God. JACKIE CHUNG. I think in the world of comic actresses, Jackie Chung might be New York's best-kept secret, and I hope that's about to change, because (with much love to the other actors) she steals the show. I mean this as the highest of compliments, but one of her best turns is as a computer-automated voice. If she can rock that as hard as she does, I look forward to seeing what else she can rock in the future. (The last member of the ensemble, Socorro Santiago, while always easy to watch, is sadly underused.)

Secondly: the script. Mike Lew is a hysterical mofo. So hysterical that I hesitate to tell you any of my favorite moments for fear that I will spoil them for you. I will say that this is NOT realism, and that this is awesome, because I think even a pseudo-realistic approach to a financial crisis right now would make us all go home and cry. But while the play is clearly stylized, the situation seems all too possible. Not hard to imagine at all. Which makes it scary and unsettling as opposed to merely hilarious. Which is also nice.

Thirdly: the direction, and accompanying accouterments. Director Ralph Pena, where possible, has maintained a snaptastic pace; where not possible - like, say, where costume changes are necessary - he rolls with it, incorporating awesome things like dance breaks (choreographed by Dax Valdes). Clint Ramos's set design, while minimal, is elegant and well-suited to the "faster than thought" pace; and the rest of the design elements unobtrusively enhance the action (costume designer Theresa Squire has given Jackie Chung one deliciously hideous outfit to wear for a social misfit character).

My only complaint - which I'm not sure is even a complaint - is that the hilarity kind of drops off about 4/5 of the way through. This, incidentally, is also the point in the script where the proverbial excrement hits the proverbial fan - so I'm guessing this is intentional. And while there is something refreshingly disconcerting about going "hahahahaha WAIT A SECOND," some steam and oomph (and other onomatopoetic words) is lost at this point as well. But, this is a small complaint for such an enjoyable evening. See Microcrisis, laugh your ass off, and follow it with some $3 wine at the HERE bar to chase your wandering mind away from your own financial woes.