Tense, Tight "Rain" in Mill Valley

Playwright Keith Huff had a structure in mind when he set out to write “A Steady Rain,” now having its west coast premiere at Marin Theatre Company in Mill Valley. Huff saw his dark police drama as an X, with one character ascending as the other intersects, then falls. He set his story in Chicago and let its two characters explain it to the audience. In program notes, Huff says that the audience for “A Steady Rain” acts as both judge and jury for the characters “You have to decide what you are told is true, and what is a lie,” says their creator. And both these cops lie, especially when they’re being deposed.

Best friends since “kinnygarden,” Denny and Joey have followed the same career path, but have been passed over for promotion to detective too many times. Denny says it’s because they’re the wrong color; Joey takes a race relations course and tells his partner that they should “not even think” in racist terms.

When Denny’s house gets shot up one night, injuring his two-year-old son, he bundles the job’s advantages -- badge, gun and squad car-- and sets out for revenge, hunting the gunman’s LeMans with its shot-out tail light with a furious obsession. Whenever Denny’s absent, Joey takes it upon himself to comfort Denny’s wife, Connie, and their other son. A hooker who’s both Denny’s girlfriend and a source of extra cash brings in another complication, as does a psychotic crime the two are called to investigate.

Though “A Steady Rain” started out as storefront theater, it received a huge break when it caught the attention of two Hollywood actors, Hugh Jackman ( X-Man’s Wolverine) and Daniel Craig ( James Bond.) With Jackman as Denny and Craig as Joey, the play made its Broadway debut in 2009.

Marin Theatre Company’s production features Khris Lewin (Denny) and Kevin Rolston (Joey.) These two alone carry a demanding hour and a half of emotional dialogue with no break. Director Meredith McDonough of Palo Alto keeps Andrew Boyce’s set police-station spare; Denny’s house, the squad car, the rainy streets of Chicago are all suggested by an empty stage with two metal-framed chairs and overhead lights (by Lucas Krech.) The rain (Chris Houston’s sound) is not symbolic of anything and is not really necessary to the story; its characters began their trajectory began long before the weather front came in.

The only thing missing in Keith Huff’s play is that it would rather be an action movie. Fortunately, the playwright understands that. His film version of “A Steady Rain” is already in the works.

Marin Theatre Company’s production of “A Steady Rain” will play through Feb. 26 every day but Monday. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, performances are at 8:00 pm, Wednesdays at 7:30, Sundays at 7:00 pm and 2:00 pm, except for Sunday, Feb. 16 at 1:00. Ticket prices range from $15 to $50. For complete information, call 388-5208 or see www.marintheatre.org.