Some works of literature—short stories or chapters of novels—lend themselves readily to the kind of verbatim stage adaptation (every single word included, “he saids,” “she saids” and all) in which San Francisco’s wonderfully inventive theater company Word for Word specializes.
Writer Greg Sarris’ story “Citizen” is not necessarily such an ideal fit. It’s long and episodic, narrative to the point of at times sounding dry. It goes from scene to scene at a dizzying pace, cluttering Z Space’s small stage with furniture and three flats, all constantly moved around or hauled in and out by the actors in (mercifully swift) scene changes. A more minimalist approach to technical issues might have worked better; none of that activity is really necessary with acting that’s this good, plus Gendell Hing-Hernández’s brisk, unsentimental direction and eye for the comedic.
Sarris’ story plays out as a 90-minute tale of a young man, Salvador, son of a Mexican father and Native American mother, who was born in Santa Rosa, California, but raised in Mexico. As a young man speaking no English, he heads for Santa Rosa to find his mother’s grave and invent a new life for himself. The story follows him after he arrives at the home of a not particularly welcoming maternal aunt in Santa Rosa and struggles to adjust to his new circumstances: finding work (picking grapes during the season); learning the ropes from the (at first) helpful Marco, a friend of his aunt; slowly gaining self-confidence as a stranger in a strange land that is nevertheless the land of his birth.
Salvador faces various ups and downs in his new surroundings — who is a friend, who is a foe? — and the actors intensify the emotional stakes without ever straining or revealing too much. They’re perfectly in tune with Sarris’ slightly removed, low-key voice.
This is a touching and unadorned story of one young, mixed-race American struggling to adapt against all odds, and as Salvador, Christian Jimenez hits all the right notes. Especially impressive is the fact that he stepped into the role only two weeks before opening.
Although Sarris describes each of the various characters, we always see them through Salvador’s eyes—Aunt El’s face, to him, is “as blank as a cabbage or a melon” — so it’s especially thrilling to see the way Word’s well-chosen actors dig into their roles, lifting them off the page. L. Duarte’s fiery, chameleon-like El is especially entrancing.
As Salvador’s presumed friend, the Mexican immigrant Marco, an open-faced Ixtlán is excellent, as are Rudy Guerrero, Carolina Morones and Ryan Tasker in a variety of roles.
Word’s patented personification of authors’ descriptions of objects, flora and fauna also work well here for the most part. Especially hilarious is a scene on a ranch where Salvador is hired to help wrangle several saucy mares in heat and a lustful stallion. And scenes of workers in the field form a smooth choreographic picture.
This is Word for Word’s 30th anniversary, and amid the sad closure of so many local theaters over the past few years, we’re lucky to have this most unusual literary company with us all this time.
Word for Word’s “Citizen” continues through Nov 12 at Z Below, 470 Florida St., San Francisco. Tickets are $40 to $75 at zspace.org/citizen or (415) 626-0453.