Trust

Robert Abrams
February 18, 2006

Trust, a play directed by Jules Helm and presented by The Vesta Collective at The Kraine Theatre (85 East 4th Street in New York City), presents the complicated relationships of two rock stars and their friends. Trust is kind of like the movie Rockstar, but with more sub-plots. The actors deliver rich characterizations, especially Roy (played by Albert Aeed). His comic monologue at the beginning of the second act left the audience in stitches. This part of the play really flowed. You could see him living who he was: a nice guy whose anxiety about women gets in the way of his pursuit of them.

If the play has problems, I think they stem from characters who the audience doesn't get to see living who they are. It would have really helped to see the rock stars sing. I think the play has potential. I cared about the characters, but sometimes it wasn't entirely believable. This was especially true of Cody's (one of the rock stars) apology scene. Some of the liaisons were a little too matter of fact.

I liked the costumes. They had some real Sex and the City potential. The writing, by Steven Dietz, often employed an eloquent turn of phrase, such as "Her look puts a pin in his chest, gives him a Latin name and puts him in a glass case." Holly, played by Ania Vahl, was a perfect vixen, putting the pin into Roy.

My cousin Jeff felt the play came together at the end. Overall, I liked it too, but I definitely think Trust is crying out to be a musical.

Jules Helm is a dance instructor at Stepping Out Studios. Trust was his directorial debut.

Photo courtesy of the Vesta Collective