HSC’s “Dying City” complex, compelling

HARTFORD — Although this complex, compelling play “Dying City” is just one act, so many traumatic, disturbing issues are exhumed, dissected, and revealed, it feels longer.
Love, death, a possible suicide, homosexuality, war, politics, and heartbreak along with other twists and turns are delivered in a flashback motif that works.
Written by Wethersfield native Christopher Shinn, the play centers on three characters played by two actors. Kelly the wife, who is a therapist, is played by Diane Davis. The other characters are her husband, Craig, who died in the Iraqi War, and his identical gay twin brother, Peter, a famous actor starring in a play in New York, where the play takes place. Ryan King plays both Peter and Craig.
Craig has died a year previously in Iraq in an accident at a practice range, and his twin, Peter, comes to Kelly’s apartment as she is getting ready to move away.
The dialog is emotionally charged and spoken in naturalistic, abrupt sentences that start and stop and change direction second to second. It must have been challenging for the actors to memorize and be able to deliver the dialog naturally, but both Davis and King make it seem organic and in the moment.
Davis switches scene to scene, from playing one brother to the other, and is completely convincing. Playing identical twins with different sexual orientations even touches on the nature vs. nurture argument of homosexuality.
The set, by Wilson Chin, is reminiscent of the television show “Friends” set, with a huge loft-like window that looks out on what appears at first to be the city sky line. The décor is minimalist Ikea-like.
Hearing about the Iraqi War in this poetic, serious play, written in 2006, is both disturbing and relevant. It is an important play, not without some humor, that is thought provoking and promising for the future of modern theater.

DYING CITY
3 Stars
Location: Hartford Stage Company, 50 Church Street, Hartford.
Production: Written by Christopher Shinn. Directed by Maxwell Williams. Scenic design by Wilson Chin. Costume design by Alejo Vietti. Lighting design by Traci Klainer. Sound design by Fitz Patton.
Running time: 1 1/2 hours with no intermission.
Show Times: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and selected Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with matinees performances Sundays, selected Wednesdays and Saturday s at 2 p.m. through Feb. 8
Tickets: $23 — $66. Call 527-5151 or visit their Web site at www.hartfordstage.org.
ACTOR…CHARACTER
Diane Davis … Kelly
Ryan King …Peter/Craig