[NEohioPAL]Berko review: ROULETTE (The Bang and The Clatter)

[Roy Berko]

Under-rehearsed ‘ROULETTE’ not up to par for Bang and
Clatter

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

Bang and Clatter, which is northeast Ohio’s new kitsch
theatre, is staging Paul Weitz’s black comedy,
‘ROULETTE.’   Originally,  another show was supposed
to be staged.  That play was withdrawn when the
production’s two leads were cast in a major motion
picture and had to leave the cast.  Going by the
motto, “the show must go on,” ‘ROULETTE’ was quickly
staged with the opening date pushed back a week.

Unfortunately, the limited rehearsal time shows in the
B&C production.  The theatre’s usual precision and
clarity is missing.  Instead, there are muffed lines,
lack of clear character development, and a general
uncertainty in the staging.  Actors tripped going up a
makeshift stairway with which they seemed not to have
rehearsed.  There were times when actors seemed
uncertain as to which stage exit to use.  Long pauses
between scenes did nothing but accentuate the show’s
haggard pacing.  

Paul Weitz, the author of ‘ROULETTE’ is best known for
his raunchy ‘AMERICAN PIE’ movie.  He is also the
coauthor of the films "ANTZ" and "ABOUT A BOY."  Don’t
go to see ‘ROULETTE’ expecting gags about bodily
fluids, band camp, talking ants or teen angst.   This
may be funny, but it concerns much more serious stuff.

At the very start of the show, anyone who had a vision
Weitz’s writing will realize that this is something
quite different.  Jon, who we learn is the husband and
father of a very dysfunctional suburban family,
enters, sits at a table, opens a brief case, extracts
a gun, places one bullet in the chamber, spins the
chamber, puts the gun to his head and pulls the
trigger.  There is a click, but no explosion.  He
smiles, puts the gun back into his brief case and
exits.   Ah, but the clue is laid that we may see this
scene repeated!

In the course of the next two acts, we meet Jon’s wife
Enid, who is having an affair with their neighbor,
Steve, who is married to Virginia, who thinks she
might like to be a nun.   We  also are introduced to
Jon and Enid’s sex-driven, drug-using teenage
daughter, Jenny and son Jock, who has more muscles
than brains.

Reviews of the show’s off-Broadway run were mixed. 
The general trend was, “‘ROULETTE’ squanders its
opportunity to have something to say by focusing on
cartoonish situations. Without the  je ne sais quoi
that makes an impact on your emotions, the laughs
leave you with a hollow feeling.”

It is difficult to evaluate the cast as they seemed so
uncertain that it was impossible to ascertain who was
throwing the wrong cues and who was dropping lines. 
None of the characterizations were truly on the mark.

The set was an impressive realistic kitchen.  But due
to a large table being placed at the very lip of the
acting area, actors had difficulty maneuvering around
the lower edge of the piece of furniture, making for
some awkward movements.

Capsule judgment:  ‘ROULETTE’ was not the quality
production audiences have come to expect from The Bang
and Clatter.  It probably would have been wise to hold
the opening even longer so the cast could have been
better prepared. 

‘ROULETTE’ runs through May 12 at The Bang and Clatter
Theatre, 140 E. Market Street in Akron .  For tickets
call 330-606-5317.  For $15 you get to see the show, 
all the free wine & beer you want, and free parking. 
This is quite an entertainment buy! 

B&C’s next production is “POUNDING NAILS IN THE FLOOR
WITH MY FOREHEAD’ by Eric Bogosian which will be
staged from May 18 to June 17.


Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info
      
Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.  His reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com

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