Freak Winds

Strange and extraordinary, the play Freak Winds, presently being produced in the subterranean, church lair of the Arclight Theater, emerges as a thinking-man’s “Tales from the Crypt”.

Parrying philosophy and abrupt physicality (often violent) the characters of this play (written, directed and co-starring Aussie, Marshall Napier) inhabit a petulant world of nasty weather and house arrest. When “proactive” insurance salesman and self-affirmed ladies-man Henry Crumb (Damian de Montemas) stumbles unwittingly into the lair of seemingly mild-mannered Ernest (Marshall Napier) and devious Myra (Tamara Lovatt-Smith), he is forced to think and act on his feet. As Henry is batted about like a mouse on the verge of a heart attack, it is anyone’s guess what his hosts’ true intentions are: sincere, fanatical or just plain morbid.

Evolving from simple character differences into an all out siege of psychological warfare, the effect is a roller-coaster presentation, dealing with issues of moral judgment and comfort. The audience is held captive, teetering and tittering, and finally let go. It is safe to categorize this fresh, dark comedy as a crowd pleaser. I won’t give anything away but it’s a shocker.

Arclight Theater, 152 W 71^st St, March 17-April 22, Tickets: $25 ($15), www.theatermania.com, 212 352 3101, www.freakwinds.com