Push/Pull
Central Work's Premiere of an Innovative Piece with Unusual Subject Matter
By: Victor Cordell - Mar 18, 2025
As the smallest possible cast to comprise a play (the solo performance being fundamentally a monologue) the two-hander holds a special place in theater. These days, they seem more prominent, probably because they are cheaper and easier to produce than plays with larger casts. But great dramas for two actors such as The Gin Game and Top Dog/Under Dog fill the catalog, as well as comedies like Greater Tuna and even musicals like I Do! I Do!
A common theme to two-handers is that two characters share commonality that brings them together and contrast that creates dramatic tension. The brilliantly written and produced 75-minute gem Push/Pull shares that dynamic.
Two young men have been friends since sixth grade, but upon leaving school have gone separate ways. Clark (Andre Amarotico) pursued white-collar work before being side-tracked by a mental condition that put him in a psychiatric hospital, while Nolan (Matthew Kropschot) was flushed out of the Navy; bags groceries at Safeway; and lives with a father he despises. But he has a hoped-for ticket out. As a committed body builder, he has converted the garage of his father’s home into a weight room and trains to enter competitions to earn professional certification.
One theme of the play is the notion of what constitutes masculinity. The diffident, unsteady Clark approaches Nolan because he feels ugly and stupid. He wants to feel male, hoping that weightlifting will do the trick. Nolan preens to obsession about body building to the extent that he hasn’t “spilled seed” in 300 days. When Clark declares his goal, Nolan, inclined to excess and rage, spews “There’s no such thing as toned! You need to get jacked!”
As the two reunite, it is clear that Clark had greater success in virtually all aspects of life, but he is now in Nolan’s bailiwick. They spar over many issues and even disagree on high order goals. Clark seeks happiness. Perhaps Nolan has consigned himself to unhappiness because of his failures, but he strives for fulfillment, which he gets through physical self-adoration. For all of their differences, they do feel attached and share some characteristics such as dark sides and self-loathing, which haunt each of them even if in different ways.
Kudos to Director Gary Graves for overseeing such a masterful production in such an intimate theater. He animates the action to the extent that that Kropschot gets a pretty good workout from the various lifting sequences. The observer’s senses are well stimulated while preserving the claustrophobia of Nolan’s existence.
I can’t remember a production in this space with such detailed set and props. Joseph Nemeth’s scenic design hits the nail on the head, right down to the body builder’s supplies and routine garage paraphernalia on the shelves. Director Graves' highly complex lighting with frequent spots and blackouts serves both aesthetically and functionally. And Gregory Scharpen’s sound design is equally detailed and telling.
Then there is the acting, which is superb. Matthew Kropschot totally captivates by capturing Nolan’s manic faut-confident excesses as well as his almost uncontrollable fury with great bravado. He dominates the stage with his physical presence and his single mindedness. And he is a natural for the body sculpting theme, as he is a body builder with large, well-defined muscles and a V-shaped torso as well as being a seriously good actor. Perhaps the greatest impediment to this play having legs is finding actors who can look and perform Nolan’s physical side and act with equal authority.
Andre Amarotico as Clark engages as an everyman with a common brand of insecurity that he depicts with needy accuracy, admitting that everything he does is for women and that he can’t get over the former girlfriend who dumped him. And though Clark has a more even keel than Nolan, Amarotico is quite adept at showing his character’s neuroses and insistent side as well.
I will note that I did not attend the opening of Push/Pull because the topic and the promotion of the play did not interest me. But given the raves from Critics Circle colleagues, I decided to give it a try and am glad that I did.
The value of the production of course begins with the script. Harry Davis has accomplished the admirable task of creating a script about body building that transcends the obvious topic matter and even evokes interest for those who are somewhat turned off by the subject on the surface. The play offers insights into the mind of the bodybuilder while exploring universal topics such as friendship, love, family, and self-regard.
Push/Pull, written by Harry Davis, is a world premiere produced by Central Works and plays at Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave., San Francisco, CA through March 30, 2025.