Enigmatic, allusive, noir softened with the faded sepia tint of old family albums, the Khan Theatre’s Private Investigator, written and directed by Michael Gurevitch, plays itself into the mind like a song heard on the radio some childhood afternoon, returning and disappearing, elusive, half-remembered, half-invented, recalling forgotten feelings and dreams.
An old bridge by the waterfront, billowing waves and a lively tune on the piano call out a line of actors who walk by in black coats and hats, one stands with his back to the audience, looking out at the endless sea, like an image from a painting by Magritte about to reveal the surreal within the ordinary. A wooden desk and chair are brought out onstage, and the private investigator (Nir Ron) sits with his pipe, staring into space as he listens to an aria on the old-fashioned gramophone. The very proper secretary in green wool suit and severed glasses (Carmit Mesilati-Kaplan) announces a client, and an elegant woman (Irit Pashtan) in a dark crimson jacquard coat, silver clutch purse and gloves, asks him to find her husband, who has been missing for five days.
The romantic, retro feel of the play is so alluring, drawing the viewer in deeper and deeper, like the song of the sirens. The plot develops in unexpected directions from the first scenes, creating suspense as any good thriller should do, while at the same time making it clear that this is far from a traditional detective story. This investigation is private in more ways than one; it is as much dramatist/director Michael Gurevitch’s investigation, exploring and experimenting with the materials. Subtitled “A Play Accompanied by Songs,” Private Investigator is a bold work that dares to be poetic.
Image, sound, text and performance all work together creating layers of associations and meaning within this overtly psychological mystery, where nothing is coincidental. Sometimes a pipe is not a pipe. Irit Pashtan is wonderful as a woman with something to hide, Orit Gal is delightful as the slightly nerdy, quiet Mina, and there are some fun surprises in store from Carmit Mesilati-Kaplan as Betin. Yet it is Nir Ron at the heart of this investigation: the poetic PI, embodying moments of ironic distance, humorous persistence, desire, empathy and a haunting look of endless sorrow.
Private Investigator is a mesmerizing experience, one emerges from this beautiful play like someone waking from a dream, to walk out into the night and conduct one’s own private investigations.
Private Investigator – A Play Accompanied by Songs
Written and Directed by Michael Gurevitch
Music: Yoni Rechter
Set Design: Svetlana Breger
Costume: Judit Aharon
Lighting Design: Roni Cohen
Choreography: Sharon Stark
Actors (in order of appearance):
The Investigator: Nir Ron
Betin – Assistant to the Investigator: Carmit Mesilati-Kaplan
