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| L to R Prescilliana Esparolini, Liv Denevi, and Cecil Jennings - Photos by Charlie Mount |
By Joe Straw
There was a fascinating visual before the show started. A book center stage appeared to be “Mid-Century Modern Graphic Design” by Theo Inglis in which Lighting Designer, David P. Johnson, displayed lights that turned the book into a pulsating visual and well, a collage of now you see it, now maybe you don’t. The book and its graphic design transformed in many ways. On top of that Johnson had a stunning light show highlighting Hitchcock suspenseful mystery style with a playoff of an old vertigo image and the downstage wall outlooking an apartment buildings à la a “Rear Window” motif compliments of Jeff G. Rack set design.
Theatre West and Little Jack Produtions present The G*ddamn Couple Down the Hall (Oh… and Merry Christmas) written by Mark Wilding, directed by Charlie Mount, Co-Produced by Charlie Mount and producer by Garry Kluger through December 15, 2024.
Maybe they don’t know it but there’s more to the relationship between the two sisters Sydney (Sam Gregory) and Dana (Liv Denevi). Dana has decorated her condo in a retro 60’s style and Sydney comes into her home dressed in a 60’s look with bell bottom jeans. And it’s possible that they have more in common than either would even realize. No exceptions.
Dana and boyfriend Chad (Cecil Jennings) are hosting this Christmas dinner at their condo, cooked by Chad, who is either an obsessive compulsive, wimpy, gay chef, or all, or neither. In any case, it’s all about Chad and no one is allowed into the kitchen while he is preparing the meals. No exceptions.
Sydney has brought her boyfriend Lance (Dave Kumar) who, all told, has missed some life experiences and simple knowledge. He is the father of multiple children from different relationships, and he just manages to get along by shear will power, fortitude, and strength but certainly not by his intellect.
Dana and Sydney’s mother and father are joining them on this day Maureen (Jill Remez) and Jerry (Steve Nevil) who is a construction lawyer. They are happy to have their daughter Dana getting married and have said that they will give her $100,000 to start them on their road together.
But that presents a problem as evil sister Sydney wants that money and suddenly decides that she and Lance are getting married as soon as possible.
That noise is suddenly interrupted by the noise coming from an adjoining condo. And now they are all distracted and rather concerned about Dana and Chad’s loud neighbors, their voices seemed to be coming from the vent in the living room wall. Luscious Lucinda (Prescilliana Esparolini) and her partner Kenny (Turk Fruell) start up again and every time they argue things get a little worse.
Shortly thereafter delicious Lucinda stops over with an opened box of Chips Ahoy cookies as a form of apology for what she says is their over-the-top lovemaking loudness. And they all buy into it, especially the men.
And when lucky Lucinda and Kenny go at it again, suddenly the argument is stopped by a jarring noise and everyone in the condo wonders, what happened?
One doesn’t like coming to a theatrical event near the beginning of the run because moments made not have gelled as one would want. Mark Wilding, the writer of The G*ddamn Couple Down the Hall (Oh, ..And Merry Christmas), has some very nice things in it. And family and harmony strike a very real chord in this play. In fact, that chord jumps out so strong in one moment that one wants to hug everyone in the play. Still, this Christmas comedy has within it the ability to go farther to be both raucously absurd and outrageously comedic.
So, what’s not working? Well maybe there may not have been enough time for Charlie Mount, the director, to find a significant through line in this piece and make it gel. A few minor adjustments would address the clarity of Mark Wilding’s play and send it on a benevolent path.
Without giving anything away, as one sees it, the play is mostly about a dysfunctional family trying to work things out mostly amongst themselves. They have very little in common and hardly get through the day without sneering at each other. Sisters are yelling at one another, mother and father disagree about the money, and two diametrically opposed future sons-in-law exacerbate an already precarious family unit. When something happens, they individually try to find a solution to the problem and that only adds only more tension with our heroes. It is only when they all work together that the problem is resolved, and now the family has found new meaningful ground and something they can all build upon. Finding those moments that clears a path for the triumphant moment of that family seems to be the core of the play.
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| L - R Sam Gregory, Dave Kumar, Liv Denevi, Jill Remez, Cecil Jennnings, and Steve Nevil |
John Combs is Officer Hoyt a person that is called in to work the holidays. A cop who is a non-inquisitive being that does not want to work too hard on Christmas day. Combs brings a lot of humor to the play and seems to know the playwright’s intention. Combs is a fine addition to this cast, and it is one more excellent role in his many roles witnessed in Los Angeles.
Liv Denevi is Dana, the older sister and there is creatively more to add to a character that has many roles in this play. She is a lover, a sister, a daughter, and a marvelous decorative host that has a purpose on this given day. Her relationship with her sister needs definition to give her a historical backdrop to her character, a past life, recreated if only to move forward.
Prescilliana Esparolini is luscious Lucinda a woman that captures the hearts of men when entering a room but, upon further inspection, one would not want to be caught in an alley alone with her especially with her eyes staring at you and a weapon in her hand. Esparolini is funny and makes the most of the limited time she has on stage.
Turk Fruell is Kenny. We only hear his voice, and he doesn’t appear on stage. He is Lucinda’s partner and seems to have gotten more than he bargained for with her.
Sam Gregory is Sydney, the sister who wants her fair share of the pie and goes for it anyway she can get it. On the outside, Sydney doesn’t appear too bright and to make up for it she chooses a boyfriend who is physical specimen but equally not that bright. Sydney, in an invidious position, fights hard for what she wants but the fight lacks increments and progression. A stronger creative choice is needed to give the character truth in her physical life on stage.
Cecil Jennings is Chad and is funny on stage. One prefers his look in the program rather than the beard on stage. That clean look gives him more strength and may work better for the character he is playing. That strength will allow him to fight and protect the sanctity of the kitchen and not allow anyone into it. It will add more humor to the role and give the character a boost in his idiosyncrasies. If everything is about the pie and keeping it whole, then the riddle of the character is solved.
Dave Kumar is Lance and despite the character’s lack of mental acuity one thought this was a very good performance. Kumar’s concentration and his physical actions on stage are excellent and given the luck of the draw should do well in this industry.
Steve Nevil plays the dad Jerry. There may more fight in this character to make the character more defined to determine a stronger conflict. For the comedy to work Jerry must dig deeper to highlight the funny (comedy). There are a couple of moments when Jerry takes charge, but his physical life does not suggest that. (The law scene.) The other is the epic battle when lives are at stake. We need to see more of Jerry here and the physical life of him protecting his family.
Jill Remez is the mom, Maureen. Maureen is the voice of reason; however misguided it may be. She is the voice of compassion, where little of it exists. The voice of sensibilities, when others are tearing their hair out. More must be made with the relationship with her husband. The conflict is not strong enough to move the relationship forward. Despite that Remez is charming in the role.
Theatre West is one of the best little theatres in town. The people there are charming from top to bottom, and it is always a pleasure to go there. Other members of this fantastic crew are as follows:
David Mingrino – Stage Manager
David Baer – Assistant Stage Manager
Jeff G. Rack – Set Designer
David P. Johnson – Lighting Designer
David P. Johnson and Charlie Mount – Sound Design
Philip Sokoloff – Public Relations
Table 7 Poster Design – Key Art
Doug Haverty – Playbill Design
Jeff G. Rack and Amanda Sauter – Set Construction
Scottie Nevil – Front of House
Charlie Mount – Production Photography
Reservations: 323-851-4839
Online Ticketing: http://theatrewest.org
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