'The Smell of the Kill' takes on marital issues

By JULIE McHALE - TimeOut Theater Critic	October 19, 2009

The experience of feeling trapped and the desire for revenge are probably universal, whether it be in a relationship, a job, or in one’s own destructive habits. Thus, even though "The Smell of the Kill" by Michele Lowe unabashedly bashes men, the male members of the audience seemed to be enjoying it, too. They were probably fantasizing about a similar play from the male perspective. I felt I was in a time warp when encountering the male-dominated marriages that all three characters felt trapped in, though I realize that couples stay married or get divorced for many reasons. The issues of who controls the money, who makes the decision to stay home with the children or continue one’s career, who does the cooking and the dishes – they’re all still unresolved apparently. Three women – Nicky, Molly and Debra – occupy the stage in Nicky’s very modern, very high-end kitchen, as their husbands – Jay, Dann, and Marty – are practicing their putting skills in the dining room after their monthly dinner get-together. The men are old college buddies. The women have not yet bonded, but put up with these dinners by necessity to please their husbands. They engage in some mean-spirited gossip among themselves, and we have very little sympathy for any of them in the opening scenes. A baby and an unhappy cat occasionally interrupt the scene, needing attention, which Molly often provides, though the baby is Nicky’s and Jay’s. The men are never seen but are often heard barking out orders from offstage. Three distinct personalities emerge. Nicky has a satisfying job as an editor but is being asked to give it up to bail out her financially irresponsible, embezzling husband, though he apparently feels entitled to own an $8,000 freezer to house his hunting trophies. Molly is stalked by a suspicious husband who is smothering her with sweet words and gifts but is withholding sex because he doesn’t want a child. Debra is married to a philanderer who stymies his wife’s career skills and her desire to mother their child, who has been sent off to a military boarding school. They are three unhappy, frustrated women whose real lives begin to unfold via a hearty infusion of alcohol. Julie Swanson, Molly Estrada and Melinda Pfundstein all create distinct characters with a few surprises behind their cool exteriors. Because Swanson as Nicky is so classy looking, her mounting anger is especially disconcerting as it begins to break through the bounds of propriety. Molly is more transparent. She just wants to be taken care of and to care for children. Estrada captures her child-like demeanor, as well as her subtle connivings despite her husband’s ever-watchful eye. Debra, played by Pfundstein, is the most repressed of the three, but even her barriers are broken down by Nicky’s and Molly’s strong-arm tactics. The freezer is the unifying metaphor for the whole play. Will anyone break out of their traps? To be continued. Call 414-291-7800 at the Broadway Theatre Center for tickets to the Renaissance Theatreworks production of this intriguing dark comedy. There are shades of "Desperate Housewives" here, but the dialogue is much cleverer in this tale.