By Zach Hosseini
“The Firebugs,” Northeastern Theatre’s first production of the year, marks a couple’s dissent from moral mediocrity to hell. The play ran in the Studio Theatre in the Curry Student Center from Nov. 6 through Nov. 9.
Written by Max Frisch and directed by Janet Bobcean, “The Firebugs” is a piece set in a town which has suffered a recent rash of fires started by arsonists called “firebugs.”
In it, the Biedermanns, Gottlieb (Brian C. Fahey) and Babette (Anna Waldron) naively allow two homeless con-men into their home.
Joe Schmitz (Saheem Ali), a muscle-bound ex-circus wrestler, is the first to penetrate the Biedermanns household. Schmitz shows up at Gottlieb’s home, asking for food and shelter. He continually outsmarts and manipulates the couple in hopes of receiving better food and amenities.
Schmitz’s appearance as a bald, tattooed street prowler contrasts the materialistic uptight tendencies of his host. Ali is a perfectly believable yet suspiciously intelligent hobo, carrying each scene in which he appears. His frequent grunting and ravenous eating habits often times shroud how he cleverly outwits his counterparts. He finally secures a place in the attic to sleep.
Even Babette, a suspicious and in compassionate woman, finds a place in her heart for Schmitz after he tells her the story of his life as an orphan and coal splitter. However,their maid, Anna (Tracy Novicki) is onto his ploy.
The play changes gears when Schmitz’s compadre, Willy (Demetrius Thomas), tries to find refuge at the Biedermanns’. Joe and Willy gradually become completely unabashed about their intentions. Willy has an erotic taste for fire, and often alludes to his love for it. Gottlieb, wishing to be viewed as a humanist, refuses to acknowledge their destructive designs for his house. The two con-men go as far as storing huge drums of gasoline in the attic and having Gottlieb measure the detonation rope. They are sure that Gottlieb will not turn them in to the police chief (Jordan Gill), since he, himself, is in legal trouble because of his Scrooge-like dealings with a worker and his widow (Megan Ash).
The firebugs are aided by the Biedermanns’ acquaintance, Doctor of Philosophy (Susan Cartiglia). Throughout the play, scenes are interrupted by helpless firemen (Mark Berglund, Michael Hall, Geoff Palmer, Brian Petersen) who offer omniscient words about the condition of the smoldering city. Certain firemen scenes include hokey versions of oldies songs performed to convey their desperate messages of hope.
Frisch often takes contradictory stances about humanity and religion throughout the play. The Biedermanns are on a search for morality, relative to their neighbors instead of their own intuition.
They are surprised to find where they end up. This raises thoughts about the average humans inherent immorality and God’s plan for right and wrong. Eventually, Frisch finds God’s kingdom disorganized and in shambles, as heaven is made of repentant murderers rather than small time sinners like the Biedermanns.
Upcoming events in the Studio Theatre include, “Songs for the New World,” running this Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and running from Nov. 20 to Nov. 22 at 7 p.m., “Iscariot.” Both events cost $10.
