Jack

Meloche
BUG Critique

If I had to sum up my experience with Bug in one word, I think Id

choose disturbing (unsettling, creepy, and unpleasant were
close seconds). MFA actors, Zev Steinberg and Jacqueline Wheeler
gave absolutely enrapturing performances, and embodied their
characters - both emotionally and physically -with eerie realism.
Wheelers portrayal of Agnes - the worn-down, battered waitress - was
very genuine. She tended to lead her movements with her head, in a
moderately heavy and free manner, which gave me the sense that she
hadnt gotten a good nights sleep in a long time. This is very accurate
to the character, as Agnes says so herself that she gets scared at
night.
Steinbergs embodiment of Peter was unsettling, with a very bound
carriage, and lots of tension in his shoulders, head, and neck. This gave
me the sense that he had a military background, before I even knew
who he really was (although I suppose the camouflage cap also
helped). Of all his unnerving mannerisms, Steinbergs stare was
probably the creepiest - with his brow completely flat and unmoving,
but with a piercing intensity in his eyes.
Jake Samson and Kirill Sheynerman (swing) were both very intimidating
as Jerry Goss (Agnes abusive ex-husband). Both actors adopted a very
strong, macho, and somewhat hyper-masculine demeanor, which

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Meloche
allowed them to dominate the scenes in which they made
appearances. On the other hand, Wheeler seemed to cave in on herself
whenever Samson or Sheynerman were present, with the exception of
when she actually tried to kick him out of the motel room and even
then, she wouldnt look him in the face. This really helped convey
Agnes vulnerability and her violent history with Jerry.
The second act of the play is when things got really dark and
twisted. The once, somewhat-controlled movements of the characters
devolved into frenetic, low, almost animal-like stances. Steinberg and
Wheeler would seem to be continuously itching and clawing at
themselves throughout the act, and that itchy feeling eventually
spread into the audience. I saw a good amount of the patrons fidgeting
and itching in their seats, and I found myself feeling rather out of sorts,
even several hours after the performance. It is because of this that I
feel confident in saying that this show is a true testament to the power
that theatre can have, when its executed in just the right fashion. After
seeing the show, I can only imagine how exhausting it would be to play
either Agnes or Peter, as they have to drive themselves to the brink of
insanity for each performance, and requires extreme dedication from
the actors. Im very impressed with both Zev Steinberg and Jacqueline
Wheeler, as their performances stayed consistently strong from
opening night to the closing matinee, despite the difficulties that come
with the embodiment of the roles. This was definitely a good show to

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use for their thesis roles, and I look forward to hearing of their future
endeavors in the art.