Theater Review: Unknown
Running time: 70 minutes, no intermission. Venue: Studio Sea View.
Way back in the first season of NBC’s “Will & Grace,” Jack, portrayed by Sean Hayes, launched a one-man cabaret show aptly named “Just Jack.” Almost three decades later, Hayes is stepping out on his own with “The Unknown,” penned by David Keil. However, this latest piece might be more fittingly dubbed “Just OK.”
This suspense drama feels more intentional than effective, much like the confusion new visitors experience while navigating Manhattan’s West Village. It zips along but often lacks clear direction.
Honestly, that jumbled path feels more intriguing than the play’s narrative—at least you might stumble into a more interesting place.
Directed by Lee Silverman, “The Unknown” strays from the typical pulse-pounding thriller. It starts off strong but ultimately leaves the audience dangling in an open-ended conclusion.
Hayes plays Elliott, a solitary playwright grappling with a creative block. It’s a setup that feels overly simplistic. Seeking inspiration, he retreats to a friend’s rural home, where one night they hear an eerie tune drifting through the woods.
This song, titled “I Wish You Wanted Me,” is from a musical Elliott wrote ages ago. The unsettling part? The source of the haunting melody stays hidden in the forest.
Meanwhile, the audience squirm as the tune eerily echoes “Sing it again, strange duet!” from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera.” Thankfully, the hefty chandelier above doesn’t crash down.
Upon returning to his Bank Street apartment, Elliott finds a note taped to his door saying, “I hope you wanted me.” Is he being stalked? And, perhaps a light bulb moment—could this creepy scenario be just the spark he needs for his script?
This “unknown” is steadily revealed. Characters placing themselves in perilous situations to solve mysteries, while quaint, feel a bit cliché, akin to a “Nancy Drew” escapade. Although marketed as a thriller, the play leans towards whimsical and lacks depth, prompting more yawns than gasps.
Predictably, Hayes excels in humor and comedic moments, not in spine-tingling suspense.
He recently clinched his first Tony Award in 2023 for his role as the witty pianist Oscar Levant in “Good Night, Oscar,” which showcases his comedic and musical talents.
Yet, this role nudges him to pull back on the quirks.
He takes on multiple characters, including the narrator, his buddy Larry, and Larry’s soft-spoken wife, Chloe, but his portrayal feels restrained, diverging from his Broadway energy.
That said, his choices for the voices of supporting characters may raise eyebrows.
For instance, Larry adopts a gravelly Walter Cronkite tone. Really, who’s even thinking of Walter Cronkite these days? And his British accent feels reminiscent of a cringe-worthy Dick Van Dyke.
Nonetheless, Hayes possesses enough charm to keep ticket buyers interested. The real issue lies with the drama itself. While the supporting characters are vividly drawn, the plot indulges in tired clichés found in paperback thrillers. Oh, look, there’s a shady figure lurking in the shadows. Where have we seen that before?
Once hailed as an innovative storyteller, Keil seems to be churning out similar thrillers that increasingly miss the mark. His 2017 production, “Harry Clarke,” featuring an American masquerading as British, was far more original and satisfying.
And his audacious 2019 solo show, “We’re Only Alive For a Short Amount of Time,” introduced one of the most shocking plot twists I’ve ever encountered on stage.
In contrast, “The Unknown” maintains an overall calmness that, while occasionally enlivened by Hayes, remains flat.
Some might argue that Keil’s latest piece lacks individuality by design, with themes of imitation and identity theft front and center. The ending hints that even the play borrows elements from elsewhere. I couldn’t help but think that the recurring line “I wish you wanted me” echoes “Phantom” intentionally.
Is imitation the highest form of flattery? I suppose so. But with “The Unknown,” it merely feels dull.
