Three heavy hitters have teamed up on Broadway to give audiences an evening of kinship wrapped in contention with Relatively Speaking: three one-act comedies which cover various forms of familial remedy, rivalry and racket.  Four-time Oscar winner Ethan Coen, two-time Oscar nominee Elaine May and multiple award winner Woody Allen each offer up their views on the subject, resulting in short plays which each bear the distinct mark of their unique brand of writing; all delivered under the deft direction of John Turturro.

Danny Hoch and Jason Kravits in Talking Cure by Ethan Coen (Photo: Joan Marcus)

Ethan Coen handles the “remedy” side of things and is first up with Talking Cure.  Coen’s distinctive, brooding style is in evidence throughout this snappy first act which finds Jerry, a post office worker (Danny Hoch – delivering his performance like a shaken soda can about to explode) having recently gone … well … postal.  Now committed to a mental hospital, Jerry receives routine visits from his therapist (Jason Kravits) who tries to reach him in earnest.  Set during a series of fast paced discussions — punctuated by abrupt blackouts — Jerry battles the doctor at every turn.  Their verbal sparring brings frustration to both as “everybody has problems” becomes a constant refrain.

Even as the doctor tries in vain to promote his “talking cure”, he is needled by his patient: “What if I start talking too much?  Is there a ‘shut-the-fuck-up’ cure?”

In a quick set change, we’re suddenly transitioned from the world of Jerry (who has gotten more belligerent) and his doctor (who has become increasingly frustrated) to a quiet dinner scene which rolls forward complete with demure solid wooden fixtures, elegant table setting and grand picture windows.

However, what first appears to be a quiet evening at home for this couple (Allen Lewis Rickman and Katherine Borowitz) quickly devolves into a shrill argument that, like any fight, shows there’s no topic too random or irrelevant to use as ammunition when you’re angry — so of course it makes perfect sense when a phantom couple called “the Hitlers” are conjured up  purely to be used to underscore a point.  The woman is pregnant and it doesn’t take much after that to find that the unborn baby is destined to become Larry the postal worker.  Talking Cure is a perfect bite-sized play that archly illustrates the notion, “With parents like these, no wonder he turned out like that”.

Marlo Thomas and Lisa Emery in George is Dead by Elaine May (Photo: Joan Marcus)

Next up is Elaine May providing the rivalry with her beautiful gem George Is Dead.  Artfully interweaving laughter and blunt observation, she serves up two very different women who had the opportunity to be reared by the same woman – though each was given a far different allotment of time and attention and stands now in a very different world.   Carla (a no-nonsense Lisa Emery) is anxiously awaiting her husband’s return after a delay at her mother’s house has caused her to miss his acceptance speech at an awards ceremony.  Ridden by guilt, she paces and leaves messages in the hopes of convincing him to return home.   A middle-of-the-night knock on her door proves to be Doreen (Marlo Thomas) who tumbles into Carla’s apartment on the brink of hysteria screeching, “George is dead!” and then proceeds to turn Carla’s night upside down.

Not close friends, not even somewhat related, the wealthy Doreen was raised by Carla’s mother who was her nanny.  Now grown the woman admits to not having seen her nanny in 40 years but somehow manages to stagger to Carla’s place since everyone else she knows is unavailable, and in the wake of this upsetting news of her husband’s tragic accidental death, she’s helpless.  And rich.  Surely she’s not expected to do anything is she?

What follows is an utterly priceless night of watching as Doreen simply pouts and tantrums her way out of taking any action.  “What will I do?” she wails at one point, “I don’t have the depth to feel this bad!“  As she reels off the things that usually constitute a bad day in her protected world (all the while instructing Carla to scrape the salt off her saltines), she comes off not so much malicious as simply vapid and unaware of anything but herself.  In fact, when Carla asks “Have you been listening to me?” she replies, “Not really.  I’m always stunned that people listen to each other’s stories.”

And so, throughout the night, we find more and more how Carla was left alone as her mother tended to Doreen, and how Doreen was utterly dependent upon her Nanny while being completely oblivious of the woman’s personal life.

When Carla’s husband (Grant Shaud) comes home a long-brewing tension erupts and he leaves her.  Oblivious, Doreen hunkers down and continues to expect Carla to arrange for George’s body to be transported back to New York, to call the lawyers, even to give her a nightgown, and tend to her throughout the night.

Ultimately there is a heartbreaking moment when Carla’s mother arrives on the scene the next morning to coax the petulant Doreen into her (borrowed) black dress.  Taking charge, Nanny  does for Doreen what she never did for her own daughter: command the situation.  It is an ironic move for an old woman who, helpless and baffled by her remote only the night before, caused Carla to miss her husband’s speech and unwittingly set that tragedy in motion.  Now, however, there is no time to inquire about her daughter’s broken marriage … her Doreen needs her.  As the two close ranks, as if no time had passed, it is absolutely devastating.  Not only does the scene unfold brilliantly, but the pain leaves a surprisingly raw scratch after such strong comedic performance.

Ari Graynor and Steve Guttenberg in Honeymoon Motel by Woody Allen Photos (Photo: Joan Marcus)

Woody Allen caps of the evening’s fare with the typical racket in Honeymoon Motel.  This one-act finds Allen at his best and hearkening back to breezier days of fast one-liners and quippy zingers.  This play is all about what happens when, as one of the characters notes, “a mid-life crisis turns into an end-life crisis.”  And once again, parallels to Allen’s life are in evidence — though don’t distract from the broad humor of the piece.

When we come upon the happy couple – a May/December pair who seem as excited to get down to the business at hand as they are about the sheer tackiness of the decor of the honeymoon suite – they are breathless with joy and exhilaration.  Soon enough, we find that the bride Nina (Ari Graynor) and her tuxedo’d romeo Jerry (Steve Guttenberg) aren’t actually what they seem.

Shortly, the love-nest becomes a hub of activity as every in-law and even the rabbi and the shrink comes crashing through the door, each brandishing their own shtick and often times simply unleashing jokes into the room to no one in particular.  It’s chaos done right, however, in a Marx Brothers “Is my Aunt Minnie in here?” kind of way, and all the fabulous actors are given their moment to shine, despite the pandemonium.  Ultimately it is not the Rabbi or even the Therapist who manages to calm the roiling storm, but the pizza delivery guy – who arrives in the nick of time – with a pie that’s half sausage, half pepperoni and all wisdom.

Relatively Speaking covers a lot of ground in its three short acts; while not all of it hits the same mark in terms of symmetry, there is still a certain rhythm created through the entire piece thanks to Turturro’s strong direction.  He takes care to build up some of the weaker spots and reign in the areas that could have gone careening off … this keeps a common element flowing throughout three very different plays making them more of a cohesive whole.

While there are no real deep insights to take away from this night of theatre, there is certainly an abundance of fine acting and wonderful laughs — with May’s middle piece fastening the two bookend plays in place.

If fighting with your own family no longer holds the same kicks it used to, come down to the Brooks Atkinson Theater and listen in as these great writers put the fun back in dysfunctional.

~~~

Related Posts:

• Scarlet Woman, Noirtastic Femmes (FRIGID New York 2011)
• An Ode To Billie Joe: A Rock Star Makes His Broadway Debut In American Idiot
• A Creek, A Cave, A Beer, A Theme And 1001 Nights
• The Healing Power Of Laughter … Improvolution’s Lovefest Donates To Haiti
• It’s A Lovefest

Candy Simmons in Scarlet Woman

Simple: if you love a good murder mystery and film noir you will enjoy Scarlet Woman. Matthew Well’s play has more twists and turns than a twizzler, and actresses Candy Simmons and Megan Hill love chewing on that licorice!

Carmine (one of the characters played by Candy Simmons), is a woman who can’t get a recent fire out of her mind, except she can’t really remember the details! Off she goes to find out who killed her father. Her clue? One of his former lovers who sends her off on a wild noir chase to another lover… and that lover to another… and another… you get it. Megan Hill does a great job at physically transforming into the different smokey ladies and even a couple of  dandies.

The play contains everything you would expect in a film noir movie: stylish costumes, cigarette smoke, campy dialogue, crazy plots, and the wrongly accused. Director Rob O’Neill has a wonderful grasp for comedy and shadows (great use of a white screen to project silhouettes  and bring other characters to life). The production succesfully captures a bleak tone within all the laughter and a lot of it has to do with Candy Simmons’ genuine portrayal of a perplexed woman in desperate need of answers.

The film noir style is captivating and the spoofing of it makes for a raving good time. The actors fully enjoy responding to the elements of the genre happening around them (was that an organ serving as a soundscape to my dramatic moment? oh it’s the church across the street). However, the play could use less questions and some trimming, some elements and jokes are repeated just one too many times (Carmine’s stylistic response to the word “fire” comes to mind); one less twist would keep us interested all the way through the end. For the most part playwright Matthew Wells is successful at keeping the audience guessing.

Very impressive in a festival setting is the lighting design by Philip W. Sandström, a very important element if you are trying to recreate film noir on stage. Kudos should go as well to costume consultants Emily Bradley & Sharon Nowlan.

If you aren’t a fan of film noir this Scarlet Woman still stands on its own as a funny stylized comedy. If you are completely oblivious to the genre, wouldn’t it be funny to learn a film style through the stage? Funny being the operative word.

~~~

FRIGID New York Festival 2011  runs February 23-March 6 at The Kraine Theater & The Red Room (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery) and UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1sr Ave and Ave A). Tickets ($10-$16) may be purchased online at www.FRIGIDnewyork.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444. All shows will run 60 minutes long or less.

Related Posts:

• FRIGID New York Festival 2011 – Five Questions For: Scarlet Woman
• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Heidi Grumelot
• Yippie! – Revolution On Demand (FRIGID New York 2011)
• FRIGID Hangovers – I’ll Have Another Round! (FRIGID New York 2011)
• The Mysterious Mystery of Mystery Street – A Little Too Much Mystery (FRIGID New York 2011)

1001 Nights

Sometimes you just need a break from all the Fringe going on all around you.  Alternately, maybe you’re just looking for some good guacamole and chips with a side of laughs.  Or you just want to hang out with your friends at the bar downing some beers with the cozy feeling of a room full of happy people laughing their butts off in the next room at something you can’t quite hear.  Whatever you’re into, I suggest you find the answer at The Creek and The Cave – a surprising find (for me, at least) in the shadow of the Pulaski Bridge in Long Island City, Queens.

“Every month at The Creek host Eugene Ashton-Gonzalez brings together the wittiest writers, comedians, and actors from around New York to tell shocking, hilarious, and intimate tales of their lives at 1001 Nights.” While I can’t vouch for EVERY MONTH I can say that I went last month and was immediately won over – by the friendly set up of this bi-level bar/restaurant/lounge . . . by the casual atmosphere, and the feeling that the place was hip and cool (but not *too* hip or cool) and by the overall feeling that I would be welcomed back whenever I decided to come again – even though I’m far from a neighborhood gal.   But the true gem of the evening was the show I’d come to see.

First of all – the price is right.  It’s free.  And that’s no cover, no 2 drink minimum . . . as far as I could tell you could wander in off the street, pull up a chair, enjoy the show, and leave again.  But Don’t DO THAT! 1) It’s not very nice and 2) Laughing makes you thirsty.  And trust me, if last month’s show was any indication, you’ll be laughing a lot so you’ll need a drink.  Second of all, the four stories I heard were chock full of personality, history, embarrassing moments, and humor.  Each storyteller was so good all I wanted was more, more, more.

The good news is, if you’ve never hear of The Creek and The Cave you can let 1001 Nights act as your initiation.  You’ll want to go back for more nights of comedy.  Luckily, there are many other themed evening to choose from, you just have to look at the calendar.

But I suggest you start with Friday the 20th so that you can get back to Fringing your way around the city for the rest of the weekend.

~~~

Related Posts:

• Scarlet Woman, Noirtastic Femmes (FRIGID New York 2011)
• 2nd Ave Poetry – Volume 3 Launch
• The Healing Power Of Laughter … Improvolution’s Lovefest Donates To Haiti
• It’s A Lovefest
• Halloween in Socrates Sculpture Park

If you haven’t already had a chance to check out Groundling alum  Holly Mandel’s IMPROVOLUTION! now’s a great time to 1) give yourself a great night of improv 2) support people who really need it during a time of need.  Because This Friday, Jan 29 @ 8pm Improvolution will be holding their next Improv Lovefest which will not only be a night of long form improv but also be a FUNDRAISER FOR HAITI where 100% of the money collected will be donated to the American Red Cross to help their efforts there … a TRUE Lovefest!

For more information, check out http://www.improvolution.org

Related Posts:

• It’s A Lovefest
• Open Mic Night And Post-Irene PARTY!
• Scarlet Woman, Noirtastic Femmes (FRIGID New York 2011)
• A Creek, A Cave, A Beer, A Theme And 1001 Nights
• The Wo(Man) In The Window

The next Improv Jam will be with IMPROVOLUTION’S finest!

A night of improvised games, scenes, long form, instant characters, experimental theater…and more fun fun fun!

Starring:
Holly Mandel * Anthony Minto  * Darrin Giglio * Orli Ben-Dor * Radhika Vaz  *  TJ Kenneally  *  Paul Pinizzotto  *  David Frenkiel  *  Barry Sacker  *  Mike Drummey

Directed by: Holly Mandel

Related Posts:

• The Healing Power Of Laughter … Improvolution’s Lovefest Donates To Haiti
• Open Mic Night And Post-Irene PARTY!
• Scarlet Woman, Noirtastic Femmes (FRIGID New York 2011)
• A Creek, A Cave, A Beer, A Theme And 1001 Nights
• Fight Fest: Deck The Hallmans!