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| Carrie Coon and Namir Smallwood in Bug (Matthew Murphy) |
Conspiracy theories didn't begin with social media, as Tracy Letts' dark psychological thriller from 1996, proves. Now making its Broadway debut at the Friedman Theatre courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club, Bug presents a chilling portrait of two lost souls who forge a connection that ultimately leads to their undoing in the most horrific way.
Agnes (Carrie Coon) and Peter (Namir Smallwood) use drugs to cope with their pain. She's the mother of a boy who went missing on her watch; he suffers from a mental illness that landed him in a military hospital. Their meeting in an Oklahoma motel room leads to a sexual encounter and growing paranoia over the "bugs" that seem to have infiltrated their bodies. Is the military trying to capture Peter so it can continue experimenting on him? Is Agnes' ex-husband Jerry (Steve Key), now out of prison, trying to take revenge? Or is this just the only way their troubled minds can cope?
The influence of Sam Shepard pervades the drama, from its increasingly bleak setting to its downtrodden characters. Coon bares soul and body to reveal a woman cracking from within. Smallwood's performances can't quite match hers (or that of Michael Shannon, who played Peter Off Broadway in the play's premiere in 2004).
In fact, those who've seen Bug in its more intimate confines likely won't be as impressed with David Cromer's new production, or its excruciating ending. But those experiencing the play for the first time — likely the majority of the audience — likely will be mesmerized by Bug's bleak portrait of darkness and despair.
