‘Frozen’ at Equinox a mesmerizing view of a cold-blooded killer thanks to a talented cast

The most uncomfortable moments in the Equinox Theatre company’s production of Brony Lavery’s drama “Frozen” are also the most effective.

Those moments aren’t rare, either. There’s plenty to squirm over in this show that mines the mind and motivations of a serial killer. Lavery explores the toll of an unspeakable set of crimes through three separate characters: the killer himself, the mother of one of his victims and a psychologist examining the neurological causes behind his crime.

By the end of the Equinox production, these perspectives coalesce in a surprising result. There’s a note of hope that emerges at the end of a long road to forgiveness. For all of the inexplicable evil that forms a good part of the central conflict, there’s also a tone of resilience and understanding.

The balance between the darkest true crime elements of the story and the more hopeful undertones succeeds largely thanks to the skills of the small cast.

Paige Larson plays Nancy, a mother who has to deal with an inhuman amount of grief after the disappearance of her 10-year-old daughter, Rhona. Larson’s portrayal of loss and anger over a period of 20 years is compelling. The hope that Nancy clings to in the first years after her daughter’s disappearance is just as heartbreaking as her reaction when she finally learns of her murder. Mehry Eslaminia is nuanced and tasteful in her portrayal of Agnetha — an American psychologist who travels to London to probe the mind of Rhona’s killer. Her theories about the root neurological causes of psychosis take on a different meaning during interviews with a murderer. Eslaminia’s take on the academic and personal sides of her character are evocative.

But it’s Kenneth Stellingwerf’s performance as the killer Ralph that truly ties the show together. Stellingwerf, a newcomer to Colorado theater, invests the character with the due amount of intensity and inhumanity. With his rural English accent firmly intact and an intimidating physicality that’s constant through the show, Stellingwerf brings to life a complex villain. Through interviews with Eslaminia’s character and firsthand interactions with the mother of one of his victims, he offers the audience an up-close portrait of a psychotic.

That’s hardly lighthearted fare. Lavery doesn’t leave much distance between the audience and a brutal set of crimes. The killer addresses us directly; the bereaved mother displays her daughter’s favorite toys; the psychologist specifies the precise part of the brain that’s responsible for psychotic behavior.

The material could easily come off as overwhelming and overly grim, but the Equinox production finds an impressive balance and approachability. Director Colin Roybal and the production’s trio of actors turn the grisly source material into a thought-provoking, accessible and moving piece. Roybal, who also served as the set and lighting designer for the show, offers a minimalistic and sparse mood that fits the underlying theme of the piece.

That theme is forgiveness, and this show finds that heart despite the gruesome and heart-rending plot twists.

Reach reporter Adam Goldstein at 720-449-9707 or agoldstein@aurorasentinel.com