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An intense demonstration of the questionable morals that often surround American success, Theatre Exile’s production of the Lucas Hnath play "Red Speedo" aims to cast a shadow much larger than the sum of its parts. Centered on Ray, a potential Olympic swimmer dealing with a budding PED scandal, and his brother/lawyer/sports agent Peter, it navigates familial bonds, betrayal, and getting ahead at all costs. Keith J. Conallen, who gives a powerful performance as Peter, was born and raised in South Philly. He spoke with me this week about his exciting role.
SPR: So you’re originally from just off Oregon Avenue in South Philly. Right?
Conallen: “I’m basically from 15th and Oregon, that area—a part of St. Richard’s Parish. I went to Neumann and my senior year I did the ‘Wizard of Oz’ there. I played the Tin Man. Then I went to Temple and their theatre program and from there the rest is history.”
SPR: Is it particularly enjoyable performing so close to where you grew up?
Conallen: It is. I was remarking to Deborah Block, who directed the piece and is also the artistic director of Theatre Exile, that it’s amazing where they’re situated in this very residential area where all the neighbors know each other, their kids go to school together and all the neighbors have an interest, an investment in this company as well. It does remind me of growing up in South Philly and having this sort of insular upbringing that kept you very safe and comforted.
SPR: Has growing up in South Philly informed any of your characters? Not necessarily in "Red Speedo," but is it something that is in your mind?
Conallen: “Of all the experience I’ve had growing up, I would say mostly that’d be in terms of my family. I’m Irish Catholic so my family is fairly big, and I definitely have taken certain aspects of aunts, uncles and cousins — taking their personalities to add spice to some characters.”
SPR: What drew you to "Red Speedo" and what about your character, Peter, got you excited to play him?
Conallen: “I was invested in Peter essentially because of the way he treated his younger brother Ray in terms of that familial bond and how he wants to take care of him and how he’s basically willing to do anything to help this kid out. Of course, at the end, his ire is based on family betrayal, which is not something that you do in a South Philadelphia home. That was very interesting for me to play with and work through.”
SPR: You open the play with a nine minute or so monologue that sort of sets the tone and fills the audience in on what has happened then sets up what’s coming. That monologue is something that must have got you excited as you signed on for the play.
Conallen: “Yes, absolutely —just the fact that his monologue was right there. Peter is a good lawyer; he knows how to talk a good game, but it definitely sets the tone for the manipulations, and the covers ups and the lies. He is dancing as fast as he can in the best way he knows how in order to make everything come out essentially in his favor.”
SPR: There’s a pool built into the stage, and it is a very startling set piece. How do you act around that, and how does the pool sort of function in the drama of the play?
Conallen: “It is definitely an exciting element. This production is the first of this play to include an actual pool. To have that element is really exciting because it really is an important character. It is a character, in that all the hopes and dreams of these characters are based on that pool, on that water. Just the visual element, too, of looking at this blue pool and the lights shimmering on the walls—it was definitely a draw for me.
SPR: Philly theater is obviously growing and evolving. What is it like being part of it and working on a production in a neighborhood where years ago no one would have imagined there’d be an edgy, risk taking outlet like Theatre Exile?
Conallen: “I think we’ve gotten a lot braver and trust ourselves more. I think we, as artists in the community, are trusting our visions and trusting we have teams around us and behind us that actually make these visions real and palpable. I think there has been an influx of a lot of amazing artists into the city. Where they weren’t getting work in New York because it is over-saturated by artists and really they come from all over the place and be a part of this growing scene, this evolving art form we have in Philadelphia. I’m super happy I’ve been here since the beginning, not that I have anything to do with it.” SPR
“Red Speedo” is running through Nov. 23 at Theatre Exile on 13th and Reed streets. It also stars Brian Ratcliffe, Leonard C. Haas and Jaylene Clark Ownes. For tickets, visit theatreexile.org.
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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