Theater Review: Westminster

SARASOTA — Urbanite Theatre in downtown Sarasota recently presented the world premiere of Brenda Withers' Westminster, a dark comedy that was the winner of Urbanite's 2023 Modern Works Festival.

Pia and Tim are a typical white-collar suburban couple whose lives are upended when Pia's lifelong semi-unstable friend, Krys, shows up unexpectedly and gifts them a problematic rescue dog they hadn't asked for. As if Krys' baggage isn't enough to complicate matters, we quickly learn that they pale in comparison to that of Beau, her sort of boyfriend.

The ill-tempered dog doesn't make an appearance, but its loud barking and aggressive off-stage antics help to create an almost surreal level of tension that is sustained throughout nearly the entirety of the play's drum-tight 90-minute, intermissionless run time. The final crescendo is palpable, to say the least.

Withers scores points for good character development and excellent dialog. The third-act storytelling, however, is a bit of a mess. Late in the play, the story veers toward the horror genre in what is surely meant to be a metaphor, though it is not terribly clear for what.

That said, the play has enough going for it that solid direction from Summer Dawn Wallace, and four outstanding performances are more than enough to make for an entertaining evening.

Alex Pelletier was always a standout performer while she was at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, and the role of Krys allows her to stretch her legs, so to speak, in a rapturous performance. Gregg Weiner matches her intensity as the abusive, beer-swilling Beau, and, from our seats, we could almost feel a sense of menace emanating from him.

That contrasted perfectly with Jonathan Fielding's turn as Tim, a much more subdued and sometimes passive-aggressive character who reminds you of every CPA you've ever met. Dekyi Rongé, who returns to Urbanite after an impressive performance in Birds of North America last season, runs the gamut from overly polite to downright unhinged in a stellar performance as Pia.

Westminster runs through April 28. Visit the Urbanite website for schedule and ticket information.