The Book Club Play

Horizon Theatre kicks off their new season with a fan favorite: "The Book Club Play" by Karen Zachar�as.

Ana, the book club founder, can't help her type-A tendencies while a documentary filmmaker sets out to capture book club interactions in the style of observational cinema. Her husband Rob, usually on the periphery, finally decides to take part in the substance of book club and is gob-smacked by an emotional reaction to Edith Wharton's "The Age of Innocence."

Jen, an established book clubber, often forgets the camera and manages to let slip some indiscretions, effectively taking the bait laid out by the "fly on the wall" camera. Lily, a young Atlanta transplant who works with Ana, undergoes perhaps the least emotional growth but advances her career and deepens her roots within the book club.

Will, an old college friend of Ana and Rob, comes into a full realization of his sexuality after reading Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." Alex, an unplanned addition to the group, is a comparative literature professor who nurses a growing interest in popular literature, such as Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series.

The institution of the book club provides an interesting outlet not only for intellectual discussion, but also for emotional support. In each meeting, members gradually divulge more about themselves and build lasting friendships by talking openly about the feelings elicited by the various literary selections.

A compelling dialog on the merits of "Twilight" reveals two extremes in its critical reception and attempts to answer the question of whether popularity is an indicator for quality. Ana and Will are in the camp of detractors, claiming that "Twilight" barely qualifies as literature to begin with. Lily, Alex and Jen are swept up in the passion, romance and fantasy they feel the series incarnates.

Alex's willingness to embrace "Twilight" in the context of his academic background seems to suggest that popular fiction does deserve a place among notable, culturally relevant works, for their mass appeal generates an impact among readers' perspectives of the world. Will calls out the series for its misogyny, flat characterization, and lack of narrative proficiency. No one takes his or her analysis one step further to point out that "Twilight" doesn't just have problematic implications, but also is a product of culture at large.

Keeping the literary discussions to a certain depth is a conscious choice on Zacar�as' part to avoid alienating audiences who haven't read the books featured, and to keep the focus on the interpersonal dynamics of the club. Similarly, the camera provides an element of dramatic irony as characters slip in and out of heeding its presence. It also serves to heighten tensions between interior and exterior, particularly for Ana, as characters grapple with the image they desire to project and their authentic selves.

For example, Will's portrayal plays to the gay stereotype of a well-dressed single man with a slight air of femininity. However, the world of secrets uncovered by "The Da Vinci Code" awakens something in Will that allows him to triumphantly admit to himself his true nature. Ana gently reminds Will of the camera in an attempt to make him consider the implications of coming out. Instead, he faces the camera directly, emphatically addresses his parents and proudly professes himself a gay man. It is easily the play's best moment.

"The Book Club Play" is an entertaining romp with an outstanding cast. Smartly staged mini-interviews with all types of people -- a prison book dealer, a retired librarian, a Wal-Mart manager -- nicely punctuates the action and drives home the documentary experience underpinning the play. An inviting living room set with delightful attention to detail makes the audience immediately feel like members of the book club, fostering a sense of community that Horizon seeks to embody with every fine production.