Lobby Hero

What are laws if they are not uniformly followed by police and civilians alike? In Moon Productions’ Lobby Hero, the gap between the law in theory and the law in practice is illustrated like a gaping chasm in the middle of the road. For each of the four characters in this production, the law is treated like a personal accessory, a commodity to be manipulated, an enabler of shitty decisions. Welcome to Lobby Hero.

Recently played at fortyfivedownstairs surrounded by a sumptuous and superbly lit set, much of the drama takes place in a lobby of an apartment complex in New York City. It is here we meet our quad of characters, who, as the story progresses, become entangled in a web of secrets, suspense and murder.

Much of the opening half hour is devoted to establishing the character of Jeff (Charles Grounds), the bumbling yet hilarious and quick-thinking security guard. He is lazy, frequently falls asleep on his post during night shift and wants nothing more but to move out of his brother’s apartment. Jeff’s incessant chatter drives his boss William (Victory Ndukwe) mad. William has his own brotherly problems; he has faked an alibi to the police to save his brother from a murder charge. Meanwhile, Jeff develops a crush on idealist rookie cop Dawn (Monique Fisher), who is infatuated with her macho and sleazy partner Bill (Ryan Murphy). However, Dawn is devastated and humiliated when she realises that the true reason they visit the apartment complex is so that the corrupt Bill can get some while on shift.

The ramifications from Bill and Dawn’s fiery confrontation expose the gender inequality, bravado and brutality of the police force, and the challenges women face trying to succeed in a male-dominated workplace. Bill coerces Dawn to have sex with him; Dawn tries to discredit Bill and crack a case. And Jeff, William, and his brother, are caught in the middle.

Written by Kenneth Lonergan, best known for his work on films Gangs of New York, Manchester by the Sea and Margaret, Lobby Hero was an aptly paced event despite a runtime of almost 2.5 hours. Those familiar with Lonergan’s work will know that much of the focus is spent on revealing the layers of each character.