Evidently, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa loves pulp. When he's not writing for theater, the playwright chronicles the monthly adventures of The Fantastic Four and Nightcrawler for Marvel Comics. With the engaging Golden Age, currently playing at The Kraine Theater, he has penned a love letter to the genre, a nod to the likes of both Dick Tracy and the Creature from the Black Lagoon, a tribute to that time which historians and collectors call the Golden Age – that era when comics were the teen indulgence of choice. Funny, because it doesn't exactly take place in the 50s – no, ingeniously, Aguirre-Sacasa bounces his characters all over a warped timeline - one moment they are watching a real and famous 1920s kidnapping, the next they're answering their cell phones. And it works.
The plot revolves around the likeable Buddy Baxter (the adorable Christopher J. Hanke), who smacks of Archie – yes, that Archie, of comic book fame, and that's no accident. His equally deliberate stereotypical friends include bombshell Monica (Tami Mansfield), the Jughead-crown-wearing goofball Tapeworm (Michael Chernus), who scarfs down junk food, the wholesome Rosemary (Sarah Elliot), the nerdy Herbert (Greg Felden), the bullying jock Freddie Battle (Christopher Kromer). (Do any of these characters sound vaguely familiar??)
Personable and sensitive, Buddy has his share of growing pains – ok, he's gay and has coming out issues, but that's the tip of the iceberg, what with going to college, pleasing his parents, making his way in the big city, falling in love with a boy (Patch Darragh), landing a job writing at a comic book (where else?) and figuring out his life. Yet Buddy's search for his identity is actually a lot wackier and more complex than even all this. Ah yes, throw in a grisly murder, add several fact-based individuals who changed history, sprinkle in a few savvy metaphors for everything from juvenile delinquency to AIDS, toss in some sharp dialogue and you've got a wild ride that while darn impossible to explain, is clever, edgy and even poignant at times, a kind of "Pleasantville" set in the funny papers. Happily, Aguirre-Sacasa is driving the whole time, steering you down an unconventional road, weaving an off-beat story that somehow magically makes sense and doesn't insult your intelligence.
"Golden Age" now through April 23 at the Kraine Theater, 85 East Fourth Street, East Village, (212) 868-4444.
