Who thought Dostoevsky in 90 minutes would work?

The success of Dostoevsky's novel "Crime and Punishment" comes from the reader sympathizing with the logic of Raskolnikov, a depressed, eventually homicidal man. The failure of Theatre Intime's production of "Crime and Punishment" is the utter unrelatability of that man.

Brad Baron '11, with his stubbly beard and dark features, certainly looks the part of the tortured dropout, but his manic, trembling characterization robs the figure of any humanity. We immediately condemn the manic, rocking madman as an immoral monster, rather than follow his logic to its unexpected, violent manifestation.

Admittedly, it's difficult to dramatize a dilemma that is primarily psychological. Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus' script attempts to do so through poetic language and short scenes, but the result is painfully melodramatic, bordering on a laughable soap opera. There is something commendable about adapting an epic work of the literary canon into a 90-minute, three-actor production, but this is a task better left to the Reduced Shakespeare Company.

The script's mediocrity is further compounded by weak direction. Instead of managing a dramatic arc, the play begins and ends with the same tenseness, accomplishing nothing. Meaningless pacing and random spasms strangle the stage, revealing the weak blocking of the director, Ryan Serrano '12. Occasionally, the staging seems to want to say something meaningful, but these moments are rarer than the people who have actually read all of "Crime and Punishment."

The production's only redeeming performance is by Carolyn Vasko '13, who plays the virtuous Sonia. Vasko transitions between the money-starved prostitute and the money-hungry Alyona with ease, and her emotional, realistic portrayal of Sonia stands in stark opposition to Baron's arbitrarily epileptic Raskolnikov. Fellow freshman Daniel Rattner falls somewhere in between. With some direction, his performance as the detective Porfiry might have been compelling, but most of his lines feel like obligatory exposition instead of real characterization.

Alexandra Mannix '12's lighting design is effective and inspired. The quick transitions between scenes reveal Raskolnikov being twisted by forces beyond his control, as the divine light transports him through time and space. The set and costumes work together to create a faded grey world, reminiscent of Pleasantville - only the crime that colors this world isn't sex, but murder. The red-lit sequence in which we witness the double homicide is well realized; quick blackouts hide the carnage of the killing, like a mother covering the eyes of her child, while windy, industrial noises underscore the eerie and frightening action. Unfortunately, this sequence is an anomaly in the overwhelmingly boring and poorly paced show. If the play is set in the "mindscape" of Raskolnikov, as the script and director's note claim, why wasn't creative staging and music used elsewhere in the play?

In a season that has seen productions of "Proof" and now "Crime and Punishment," it seems Theatre Intime is horribly out of touch with the spectators in the house and the directors it allows on stage. With such a talented executive and managing board, this is unacceptable. Why isn't it more involved with the creative content of the productions, beyond approving the shows and then turning up months later to man the concessions stand?

I could end by saying "Crime and Punishment" is a crime against theater and a punishment to any unknowing spectator who buys a ticket - but I won't.