'American Pilot' navigates dramatic turbulence

I don't want to give it away, but the convulsive closing scene of David Greig's "The American Pilot" elicits twinges of shock and awe.

The surprise comes from the jolting cacophony and the pendulous imagery of a play marinated in the threat of violence. The admiration arises from the moxie of Walking Shadow Theatre Company, which has presented this play ripped from headlines.

"Pilot," which opened over the weekend in Minneapolis, navigates dramaturgical turbulence with simplicity and finesse.

The slim, one-note drama leads up to where some nightly newscasts begin -- with the attempted rescue of an American aviator who has gone down over enemy territory.

The Pilot, played by Joseph Bombard (no kidding), is found by a Farmer (Peter Ooley) who gives him sustenance. But the pilot is in rebel territory in an unnamed country whose government is supported by the United States. The injured aviator becomes a coveted trophy in this remote outpost. A wily Trader (Sam Landman) wants to hold him for ransom. A shades-wearing Captain (Robert Gardner), a martial man who runs the town and moves around slinging an automatic weapon, wants to film, then execute the American.

The play seeks to go behind the headlines and address global issues, including the impact of U.S. power on people in remote corners of the world. It is a cloying, if honorable, attempt.

Where it does get interesting, theatrically, is in its device. "Pilot" is set in a war-torn country where the natives do not speak English, yet all the characters' lines are delivered in English. Their difficulty understanding each other, then, is a double layer of acting that is potentially confusing. The Translator (Matthew Vire) has an accent only when he's translating.

Given the limitations of the script, director Amy Rummenie and her cast bring the story to life with fair potency. They remind us that big issues can be made into engaging theater, even when the script feels like a hovering storm front that does not move on.

Rohan Preston • 612-673-4390