A Behanding in Spokane

My, my, my, my, my, my....my. Last night Michael took me to see A Behanding In Spokane. This play was written by Martin McDonagh, who also wrote The Beauty Queen Of Leenane & The Pillowman. The set was a run-down, flea bag hotel room. And the format was the newfangled 90 minute, no intermission show that is taking over Broadway.

First I need to tell everyone that Christopher Walken is creepy. Even as an old man, and he is no spring chicken, Walken is scary with a gun in his hand. And when I say hand, I mean his character has only one hand. That's the premise of this black comedy. A one-handed man is searching for 47 years for his hand he lost violently as a child. He searches the United States looking for people who have hands to sell. Now, yes this is gross. I won't tell you the outcome, but the small 4 man cast is really, really good. But I have to be honest, and with all sincerity. Walken made some bold choices for his role, his monologues (and there were many of them in the show) had some fun Walken(esque) deliveries. But I have to say, he didn't have much stagecraft going on. By that I mean Walken was being a film actor. I don't think he once used his horizon line. And he certainly didn't use a stage voice. Luckily the theater was small so that wasn't really an issue. But when you saw/heard him next to the other actors who were using stagecraft - it showed. Did I like this show? Hell yea! Should you see it? Yes, especially if you like a bit of a scare in a show.