Listen.  Do you hear that?  What could that lovely, staccato, and profane sound be?  Could it be the gorgeous sound of conversation?  I think it might be.  Of course, in the theater we have another word for it:  “Mametspeak.”  No other contemporary playwright has had more of an effect on the language of American dramatic literature than David Mamet.  His short succinct sentences and overlapping lines effectively capture the rhythm of American conversation.  When done well it can be one of the most glorious things you can hear.  When done badly it can be, well, confusing.  I cannot in good conscience call Generic Theater’s production of Mamet’s 1984 Pulitzer Prize winner Glengarry Glen Ross an example of well-done Mamet.  That would be doing it a grave disservice.  Instead, it is nothing less than extraordinary.

Generic’s promotional materials describe Glengarry Glen Ross as an examination of the seedy underbelly of the American dream.  They’re right.  Mamet’s play, much like another familiar American classic, is about salesmen.  In this case they sell real estate.  The men are pitted against each other in a sales contest which could mean the difference between winning a Cadillac and losing their jobs.  They are desperate, in particular Shelley Levene (Wade Brinkley), a man who once was one of the best but has hit a bit of a dry patch, and he must sell nearly $100,000 in undeveloped land before returning to work in the morning.  In the first act, which is set in various booths of a restaurant, we see three separate scenes.  The first is between Levene and John Williamson (Matthew Reiss Friedman), the manager of the sales office, in which Levene desperately begs for better sales leads.  The second is between blowhard Dave Moss (Mike Joyner) and nervous George Aaronow (Cliff Hoffman), in which they plot to break into the office to steal the good sales leads which the company is holding back.  The third (a monologue really) is between master salesman Ricky Roma (Jason Kypros) and an unsuspecting sucker named James   Lingk (Joel Haberli), where we are allowed to see the smarmy lengths to which these men must go in order to succeed at their job.

Act Two takes place at the office the next morning.  There’s been a break-in, although it’s questionable who the guilty party is.  As the police investigate, the boiler room atmosphere intensifies to a breaking point.  Gelngarry Glen Ross is a haunting, funny, and tautly crafted drama.  There is no question why this is one of the greatest American plays of the 20^th Century.  But Mamet writes for actors, and his plays are not easy to do.  They require a sharp focus and rapid-fire pace, and anything less than that can result in a confusing and unsuccessful evening.  Every one of the gentlemen in Generic's production are sharp as tacks.

To effusively gush over all of them would be a long and tedious enterprise, so I will not single out each individual actor (although he deserves it).  However, Mr. Hoffman's portrayal of Aaronow was a singular standout among the rest.  Mr. Haberli is cast in the most difficult role in the show, and he portrays James Lingk with intelligence and subtle nuance that make his performance a highlight.  I was equally impressed with Mr. Kypros's portrayal of Ricky Roma.  Kypros does comedy locally (I've reviewed him for this website), but I was not aware he was an actor.  But he is, and a damn fine one.  The role of Ricky Roma is a showboat part, and Kypros managed to chew the scenery without ever damaging the authentic feel of a tight-knit ensemble.

The production has been well directed by Jim Mitchell; he keeps the evening on course with quick timing, smart staging, and a cast of talented and engaging performers.  He has made one choice that I feel an obligation to disdain; although I am more ambivalent than disdainful.  Mr. Mitchell has chosen to insert some of the more famous monologues from Mr. Mamet's screenplay in the blackouts between (largely unnecessary) scene changes in Act One.  I am ambivalent because the monologues are very good, and well-delivered as voiceovers by Keith Flippen, but I'm a purist, and I think anyone rewriting a Pulitzer Prize winning play is guilty of a pretty impudent act.  At any rate, it neither adds nor detracts that much.  Hank Sparks's set design is great (as usual).  The costume design by Celia Burnett is excellent in its simplicity. 

Generic has delievered an excellent show; one of the best I've seen this season.  Anyone who doesn't go out and see this show before it closes is squandering a great evening at the theater.  I will encourage everyone I know to see it over the next few weeks.  It's a show like Glengarry Glen Ross that makes you wish we still had local theater awards.  A show like this should and could win several.

Glengarry Glen Ross runs at Generic Theatre through February 10.  Call 757.441.2160 for reservations.