Sex, Drugs May Fail, but Not ‘Shopping’

If playwright John Osborne was Britain’s first “angry young man,” it appears that nearly 50 years later, they are getting angrier and angrier. A perfect example is Mark Ravenhill, whose first full-length play “Shopping and . . .” is currently explaining to us, at Rude Guerrilla’s Empire Theater in Santa Ana, some of society’s great errors in today’s world.

Ravenhill uses a microcosm of society’s underbelly to make his point, but accomplishes his purpose with those rare qualities of the playwright’s art: passion, cutting-edge situations, deadly aim and frank disregard of propriety. The play is riddled with rough language, explicit (though simulated) sexual acts, violent emotional integrity and a sure eye on his subject matter.

“Shopping and . . .” was highly successful in the United Kingdom and has played all over the world. It’s easy to see why. Ravenhill leaves nothing to the imagination in pressing his case, which is, as one character states, “Civilization is money--money is civilization.” We all know that money drives everyone. The whys and wherefores of its gathering doesn’t always matter. To Ravenhill, the greed of the highly placed is the same as the greed of the low.

Mark is a junkie stockbroker who would like to kick the habit, but has to deny relationships to do it. He leaves his menage a trois for rehab, but fails at that. Robbie, who loves him, and Lulu, who loves them both, try to continue without Mark, but find a disastrous drug deal brings them to their knees financially. They’re in debt to a drug dealer who loves “The Lion King” but adores obedience even more. Mark’s best bet is a young, charming, available male hustler, whose sexually motivated death wish finally sends Mark back to his menage and the realization that shopping is the safest solution and money the most comfortable way to achieve it.

Translate these figures into any level of society and Ravenhill’s assessment remains valid. He simply has chosen to express his observations in wildly theatrical terms.

The premise of the play aside, Ravenhill’s work is touching, frightening and ultimately heartbreaking. We can look at ourselves through his eyes and it’s pretty scary. But it’s also gripping theater and totally involving.

No one under 17 will be admitted, but for any age over that there is a lesson to be learned here.

Artistic director Dave Barton has given the play its best shot in his insightful and understanding direction, and the cast couldn’t be better. Nicholas Downs’ charming but conniving hustler; Eric Eisenbrey’s snotty, rough-edged Robbie; Lorianne Hill’s manipulating Lulu; Jay Michael Fraley’s continually crumbling Mark; and Robert M. Tully’s viciously controlling Brian, are exceptional portrayals of disreputable characters, and the actors make the characters real, interesting and often affectionately attractive.

SHOW TIMES

“Shopping and . . .,” Empire Theater, 200 N. Broadway, Santa Ana. Fridays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2:30 p.m.; Thursday, March 8 only, 8 p.m. Ends March 11. No one under 17 admitted. $15. (714) 547-4688. Running time: 2 hours, 25 minutes.