House of cards

Cold beer, a snug house on a frozen lake and a well-stocked minnow bucket -- this is the little slice of frigid paradise that comprises the world of Kevin Kling's bittersweet drama "The Ice Fishing Play," which opened last weekend at Theatre in the Round.

This gentle work, which made its debut 15 years ago at the Humana Festival at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, Ky., details one man's quest for the "big one" that lurks in the depths of a Minnesota lake. Cleverly blending quirky wit, a rich sense of place and the evocative tug of memory and loss, Kling has created a piece that is entertaining and unexpectedly poignant.

Ron, played by Matt Erkel, has come to his ice house for solitude, but despite the fact that the storm of the century howls outside, he's interrupted by a procession of visitors who brave the cold to knock at his door. As an assortment of characters, including his wife, his brother and two half-frozen proselytizers, periodically distract him from his quest, the play takes on a darker, almost mystical tone, belied by its lighthearted opening. It becomes clear that all of Ron's visitors are of the ghostly sort and that this trip in search of the "big one" may be his last.

"The Ice Fishing Play" requires a complex juggling act between the prosaic and the philosophical as it wends its way through a landscape that is simultaneously familiar and magical. Director Sarah Gioia struggles at times to find the appropriate balance; when two proselytizers arrive to warn Ron that "the grand climax is at hand," it's hard to tell if this short scene is meant to be funny, foreboding or an uneasy mix of the two.

A solid cast, however, captures much of the humor and emotional heft of this play. Matt Erkel brings an innocent authenticity to Ron, a man so at home with himself that when his wife asks about his unfulfilled dreams, he can't imagine desiring anything beyond what he already has. Tom Sonnek's deadpan delivery as the older brother, who appears to dispense advice and kiss minnows for luck, contrasts nicely with Tim Uren's excitable braggadocio in the role of Junior, the bait-shop owner. Mame Pelletier gives a credible performance as Ron's wife, Irene, who evolves through the course of the play from a sulky teen into a wildlife artist and taxidermist.

While this production doesn't wring every possible nuance out of Kling's play, it does convey a warmhearted sense of these characters and the love, memories and regrets that bind them together.

Lisa Brock writes regularly about theater.