Book-It Theatre’s current offering is an adaptation of the 2008 novel The Art of Racing in the Rain, a New York Times bestseller by Seattle resident Garth Stein. Racing tells the story of the struggles of an aspiring Formula One racer, his wife and child, and his faithful dog, Enzo, who acts as narrator of the piece.
Racing is a complex play with a big cast and Director Carol Roscoe does a very good job of keeping it all under control, particularly through her creation of strong stage pictures and harmonious interactions between sets, lights, sound and actors. Andrea Bryn Bush’s set, composed of swirling tire tracks on the floor, floor-to-ceiling wires reminiscent of the walls of a racetrack, and painted landscapes of green hills and blue sky is very well-done, as is designer Rob Witmer’s soundtrack featuring zooming cars and raindrops.
The ensemble features a number of strong performances, particularly Eric Riedmann as protagonist Denny Swift and Eleanor Moseley and Peter Jacobs as his overbearing in-laws. The show, however, belongs to Enzo the Dog, played amazingly by David S. Hogan. Hogan is a physical and vocal virtuoso who manages to perfectly balance Enzo’s canine characteristics with his tender, intelligent and deep personality. Designer Pete Rush’s costume for Enzo is notably simple—khaki pants and a brown shirt with patches on the knees and elbows that remind me a bit of the spot on Snoopy’s back. By rightly forgoing the fur and the tail, Enzo’s personhood and Hogan’s excellent acting is able to shine through even more clearly.
And yet, all of this good work cannot fully overcome the biggest problem of the production—its length. Book-It’s website clocks the show at 2 hours and 40 minutes, but that estimate is conservative (or generous, depending on how you look at it.) It can be a very long time to be on the sentimental rollercoaster that drives the bulk of the play, but dog lovers and romantics will not be disappointed.
The Art of Racing in the Rain. By Garth Stein. Adapted by Myra Platt. Directed by Carol Roscoe. Book-It Repertory Theatre, Seattle Center. April 17 – May 13, 2012. Tickets and information at www.book-it.org or 206-216-0833.