Theater Review: Cape Rep’s ‘9-Ball’ A Powerful Play Worth Seeing Again

 Art Devine’s play is not about a pool game. It’s about what transpired over a game of 9-Ball in a local bar in Small Town, USA in 1967. It’s set during the years of the unpopular Vietnam War draft. Many did not want to go to Vietnam; it was thought to be an unjust war and there was resistance to the reasons for the “conflict.” There were protests, draft-dodgers and general unrest. 

 In “9-Ball,” Devine created two characters dealing with these circumstances from different angles. Larry Doucette has been drafted and is afraid to go, and Richie Feinberg wants to serve but is unable to because of his law-breaking past. So these two men, boys really, decided to swap identities. Before the show in a Q&A with the playwright, Devine said that this story was inspired by true events. “It was easy to swap identities then; driver’s licenses were a piece of paper in that time. There was no photo.” 

Nothing ever unfolds as one expects, and that’s precisely what occurs in this scenario. Larry, as Richie, finds himself behind bars, while Richie, taking on Larry's life, discovers that war involves much more than simply parachuting out of airplanes, as he had envisioned.

Cape Rep premiered the play in 2001, Devine’s hugely successful first play. Janine Perry, Cape Rep’s producing artistic director, thought to bring it back for its 25th anniversary under Devine’s direction. With a soundtrack of music from the late 1960s and early 1970s, jukeboxes, cigarette machines, and rotary pay phones, the audience is literally brought back to that era. “9-Ball” is a trip to the past worth taking. 

 This time Devine found a cast that are the actual ages of the characters they're portraying, some as young as 17 and 18 years old. And with a nod to the potential for nepotism claims, he cast his son Macklin Devine as Richie. It’s clear why. Macklin perfectly embodies the brash, outspoken Fienberg, just as Elijah Corbin captures the nerdy, brainy essence of Doucette. The contrast between the two characters is both striking and remarkable, even more so as the two characters evolve through the show. 

 As the audience is taken through the parallel lives — one man in prison, the other in boot camp then war — the ensemble cast takes on three or more roles each. They are all spectacular. It’s remarkably easy to distinguish the locales of each scene by their brilliant and sometimes heart-wrenching performances. They are Izaak van der Wende, Ju’el Martin, Jimmy Sawyer, Cam Torres, Jakov Schwartzberg, Zack Johnson and Hugo William Ceraldi.

 The fabulously intricate set is the original from 2001 designed by Dan Joy. Tim Healy’s exceptional sound design was utilized again too, and I would buy the soundtrack if it was released tomorrow! Robin McLaughlin’s costume design was spot-on; details are her forte and the details here add another layer to the story because they draw similar yet distinct parallels to each story. The lighting, designed by Trevor Norton, helped the audience seamlessly follow the action from here to there on the stage. There’s so much happening throughout the performance. TJ Glenn’s fight choreography made the fighting appear authentic and intense. With both that physicality and the language, this play is not suited for the faint of heart or for children. Chelsey Brown, stage manager and Kaleigh Mason assistant stage manager ensured a cohesive experience; a commendable achievement.

 The show is a little over two hours with a brief intermission. This play will stay with you for days. Grab your tickets today.