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| Kristen Kollender and Jonathan Pessin |
On my early morning walk in Culver City, at the corner of
Overland and Washington Blvd., plugged in and practicing Pimsleur’s Spanish, I
came upon a man who asked me for change. I slapped my sides, motioning “nothing
in my pockets” and I said, “I don’t carry money.”
There was something in his eyes that expressed a great anger. “Well, give me your shirt.” I kept
walking. “Give me your shoes! Your
pants! Give me everything you’re F#$%@ wearing!”
And for a second I thought: Why do I need all of these clothes? And
suddenly I pictured myself walking back home on Venice Boulevard without a
stitch on just to satisfy this man’s early morning needs. But, I kept
walking. Clearly he was in need of a drug
to make him feel… I don’t know. Something.
Strangely enough, I saw him the next morning, in Starbucks,
having a cup of joe. I walked by his
table. Our eyes locked as I moved passed him.
Expecting a barrage, he said nothing. Life was a little easier for him on this day.
Perhaps he took something.
Life’s problems keep changing and everyday there is a new
drug, while not a cure will assuage a new symptom, newly diagnosed, to help
you, feel better, as you manage your job, with as little confusion as possible,
so you can pay for that tiny little pill.
And why cure a symptom when you can keep on prescribing?
Won’t you join me in this moneymaking venture?
Rx by Kate Fodor and directed by John Pleshette at The Lost
Studio on La Brea is funny and zany, all in the same breath. The writing is like watching Woody Allen on psychotropic
drugs meeting or having a wacky date with Christopher Durang to see Stanley Kubrick’s
A Clockwork Orange.
Lynn Pleshette, the Producer, and The Lost Studio has done a remarkable job
bringing Rx to Los Angeles for its premiere with a solid cast of astonishing actors now playing through March 1, 2014.
This production is top rate, the play is fantastic,
and the events in this play will make you lightheaded, without the need for
medication, unless they come up with a disease for it – addiction to theatre.
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| Mina Badie and James Donovan |
Meena Pierotti (Mina Badie), managing editor for piggeries
at American Cattle & Swine Magazine, understands she has the problem of
depression in the workplace, so she has answered an ad for clinical trials for
a new drug to combat that problem. In a state of torpor from this job, she
understands her plight, recognizes her problem, which is the first step to
recovery, placebo or no placebo.
Today, Dr. Phil Gray (Jonathan Pessin) is interviewing her
to see if she qualifies for the program. And boy is Meena a mess! She cries frequently at least twice in one
day. But, not at the office, she
shuffles to a department store near the old-lady underwear section and weeps,
fatuously.
And looking at the line item of “confusion” on his clipboard,
Dr. Gray asks if she is confused and on what scale, 10 being worse. She answers decisively “Yes. 7, 6, 5.”
Later, Allison Hardy (Kirsten Kollender), an administrator
of sorts, nicely put together, think big pharma garb of tight blue shirt, black
jacket and skirt, and with stilettoes that would stop a non-medicated prowler
in his tracks, has high hopes for the new drug - SP95 for workplace depression.
“It’s a disease, we hope.” – Dr. Phil Gray
Meanwhile, Meena, back at the office with her nerdy assistant
Simon (James Donovan) with his pants pulled up way too high and wearing clothes
befitting no one, drives Meena up the wall, telling her that Amy (not seen) was
quitting to go off to write a book, sending Meena back to the underwear section
of the department store.
Later during the examination, Dr. Gray tells Meena that they
are looking for professional workers who earn more than $65,000 per year. Meena has her suspicions about the whole
program and asks Dr. Gray if he is a real physician. And with his bare hands on her soft skin,
slightly under the fold of her slacks, she tells him that she has got MFA in
poetry, giggles at his touch, and says she ticklish.
“We’re done.” – Dr. Gray
Later Allison walks into Dr. Gray’s office and tells him
that it is not okay to break the rules.
He’s got to get his bookshelf off his floor, it’s in the memo, and she
doesn’t care that he hits his head when he stands up.
Meanwhile in the underwear section, Meena meets Frances (K.
Callan), an elderly woman, having trouble choosing which “old lady” underwear
she wants. Meena, feeling better, helps
her decide, and the decorations on the top will do nicely.
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| Michael Dempsey and Kristen Kollender |
Later Allison grabs Dr. Gray and pulls him into a marketing
meeting with Richard (Michael Dempsey) who finds it an unmistakable pleasure to
introduce a new drug to a doctor.
Richard, now excited, brings a small boom box, an easel, and two cards
to introduce THRIVEON (spelled as “thrive on” but pronounced by Richard as
“thriv EEE on”) 9 to 5. Allison is
beyond excited as Richard hits the box and plays Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 as he
dances about the room.
“You can Thrive from 9 to 5.” - Richard
Dr. Gray is none too pleased.
Back for a follow-up, Meena at this point really doesn’t
know if she is getting the medication or the placebo. Dr. Gray, not much for
rule breaking, except for moving the shelf, putting bare hands on patients, and
emailing pictures of his feet, tells Meena that she is getting the drug. He also tells her that he loves her poetry and
breaks another rule, the doctor-patient rule, and a romantic relationship
ensues complete with photograph of naked feet in various positions.
Kate Fordor, the
writer, has written a wonderful play and something so very unusual that it
keeps your interest throughout. A question came to mind during intermission:
How does she know all of this stuff? The
names of drugs? The ailments? The doctors? The marketing and pharmaceutical
team? Where and how did she accumulate this knowledge? It is probably better left
a mystery but suffice it to say this is a wonderful play that will keep
audiences enthralled.
John Pleshette,
the director, keeps things moving at an interesting pace. It is a play about love and drugs and their
effects on the human condition. The
through line here could be strengthened with the various characters that take
us to the denouement. Allison, who will stop at nothing to get the drug made, Meena
who needs the drug to be a better person, worker, lover, etc., Dr. Gray who
really needs Meena to keep him going, and the drugs when love is just not
getting it done. Which leaves us with
Simon. Where and how does Simon fit in,
in all of this? Still, Pleshette does a
marvelous job with the actors and providing us with a message about love and
drugs. It’s funny when love is lost,
the characters frantically run to a drug that will relieve their symptoms,
whether it is alcohol, or the orange pill that’s been effectively proven to
give dogs a bad case of the runs.
Mina Badie is
charming as Meena Pierotti. It is an
interesting role in that it takes her from her depressed charming self, to a
loving voluptuous woman, to someone controlling herself and the others around
her all the span of an hour and a half. Things got so wacky on this particular night
Badie could hardly control herself.
Still, this was a very nice job.
Jonathan Pressin
is Dr. Phil Gray. Dr. Gray is a man who
has a licentious foot fetish so much so that he emails pictures of his feet to
his patients – well, one patient. Amatory
speculations set aside, Dr. Gray is slightly nebbish and on the outside sticks
by his guns and will not break any rules.
But outside his exterior self, he breaks all the rules continuously. We all know he wants the girl, but does he
try hard enough to get her? Is he moving
his nebbish little self in that direction? – through actions on stage? It is hard
to tell with the final outcome. Nevertheless,
I did find Dr. Gray rolling all over the floor just hilarious and will remember
that moment for some time to come. Pressin does a fine job with this character.
Kristen Kollender
is marvelous as Allison Hardy a backslapping, happy-go-lucky worker for big
pharma. She is as gregarious as she is
annoying. And never let it be said the she doesn’t love her job. On top of all the money she is making, she is
watching the pennies. Still, she is the one person co-workers do not want
walking into their room, especially after something good has happened, or something
bad, or anything at all. It is preferable that she just stays away. Still
you have to love Hardy’s tenacious spirit and Kollender is fantastic in the
role.
James Donovan
plays Simon, a nerdy character with a foreign accent. And an odd thing about this particular
character is that he shows up at the most inopportune time, obliquely prowling
around the old ladies underwear section by inadvertent happenstance. Seems like the character has more in his
being than being at the wrong place at the right time. Still I enjoyed
Donovan’s performance and loved the office party scene. It was one more moment when things felt just
right.
Michael Dempsey
is a wonderful actor, plain and simple. Although he is not plain and simple,
but a robust character that brings his characters to extraordinary life. His audacious
gestures send the audience into fits of laughter. Dempsey is an actor that other actors love to
watch and steal. Dempsey’s Richard is a character who is slightly off kilter
with many layers. A man who is not sure
of his own self worth, wishing for the day back when he decided to drop out of
college or medical school. And as Dr. Ed
Morgon he creates an entirely different character, so offbeat and unique, one
cannot take your eyes off the mess that is this being. And the glove scene this
night was incomparable to anything thing I’ve ever seen in a doctors office. His performance was just wonderful.
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| L - R, K Callan and Mina Badie |
K Callan gives a
very special performance, as Frances, a very kind elderly woman who is, in the
politest sense of the word, slightly confused, but very kind. She is ill and knows her time has come. She
refuses the drugs she needs but inspires Meena to enjoy life to the fullest. Frances gives us a chance to breath with all
this lunacy going on. And it is Callan
who provides that relief and a time to step back to enjoy her character and her
performance. Callan is terrific as Frances.
Karina Farah was
the Stage Manager as was David Rubin.
Nicholas Davidson
was the Lighting Designer and gave the cast the lighting required to be their
best.
Joseph “Sloe”
Slawinski was the Sound Designer and everything worked to perfection.
Esther Rydell was
responsible for the Costumes and also did a great job with actors looking and
living the part in various costumes.
Ken Werther Publicity
was responsible for the publicity.
Other member of the crew were Ariana Hode, House Manager, Debra Valencia DeVa Communications, Graphic Design and Cinda Jackson for The Lost Studio.
The sign Rx is much too real hanging outside the Lost Stage on
La Brea – I walked past thinking it was a pharmacy.
Run! Run! Run! Take someone who has a clear head.
JANUARY 11 — MARCH 1, 2014
FRIDAY & SATURDAY AT 8PM
SUNDAY AT 3PM
FOR TICKETS:
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