[NEohioPAL]Berko review: SOME GIRL(S), Bang and Clatter Theatre

[Roy Berko]

‘SOME GIRL(S),’ another Neil LaBute play at BANG AND
CLATTER

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

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

--COOL CLEVELAND.COM--

Bang and Clatter, North Coast’s creative little
theatre, is now staging Neil LaBute’s ‘SOME GIRL(S). 
LaBute is the red-hot playwright who penned such gems
as ‘IN THE COMPANY OF MEN,’ which became a hit movie;
‘THE MERCY SEAT,’ which  was one of the first major
theatrical responses to the September 11, 2001
attacks; and ‘FAT PIG,’ which was given a compelling
staging earlier this year by B&C.

LaBute, who is noted for writing “revenge plays,” in
which women get even with a man who has wronged them,
again skewers a man in ‘SOME GIRL(S).’

The story centers on Guy.  We watch, well, kind of
eavesdrop on him in various hotel rooms, as he
revisits five major ex-girlfriends—as well as several
others we don't see—prior to his forthcoming marriage.
 According to Guy, his motive for the visits is to
apologize and make up for the breakups.  In reality,
he is acting out a much deeper psychological
problem...his obsessive love ‘em/leave ‘em/feel no
regrets way of life. 

As the plot develops we start asking about Guy’s real
intentions.  Is he a “good guy” trying to make amends,
or, is he a “bad guy” looking for new material for a
tell-all story like the one he recently published, and
with which some of the girls were not thrilled. 

As is true of LaBute’s writing, each woman we meet has
a highly individual language and personality. 
Eventually, true to LaBute’s theme, each repays Guy in
her own way as reconciliation turns into retaliation,
one with a slap, another through seduction, a third
via guilt, a fourth via humiliation, and the fifth
walking out when he expresses deep love for her.

The play opened for a professional run in 2005 in
London with David Schwimmer of TV’s ‘FRIENDS’ playing
the lead.  When the show was transferred to NY in
2006, Schwimmer had another commitment so he was
replaced by Eric McCormack of ‘WILL AND GRACE’
notoriety.  The off-Broadway cast also included Fran
Drescher (“THE NANNY’), Judy Reyes (‘SCRUBS’) and
Maura Tierney (‘ER’).  The play, in both productions,
was a smash hit.

The Bang and Clatter production is quite acceptable,
but not sterling.  Its pace is too languid in many
scenes, in fact most of the first act.  Some of the
tensions and laugh lines are lost due to the lack of
keying of lines.  The audience was forced to work too
hard to grasp LaBute’s message and keep involved in
the action.

Daniel McElhaney, though he tries hard, as can be
witnessed by the cascades of sweat pouring down his
face, isn’t totally up to the role of Guy.  He does
not have the charisma or physical appeal of Schwimmer
nor the good looks or quirkiness of McCormick.  It is
rather difficult to believe that McElhaney was able to
attract and bed all of these women.  To be a “chick
magnet” he needs to have some deep appeal, charisma
and warmth.  What is McElhaney’s?   As for his acting,
many of his lines, especially in the important ending
of the play, seem undeveloped, without a concept of
understanding nor clarity of meaning. 

Sam (Margaret Morris), was Guy’s high school
sweetheart whom he left with no explanation.  She is
now in an unfulfilling marriage and saddled with
multiple children.  Morris conveys an attitude of
being properly angry, but much of her angst is
displayed with contorted facial expressions that
detract. 

Tyler (Rachel Roberts) is a free spirit,
nonintellectual and promiscuous. She and Guy enjoyed
some kinky sex, and their breakup apparently suited
her just as much as him, but she, too, makes him pay! 
Roberts physically fits the role of the beautiful
Tyler, but seems a little uncomfortable with the
demands of the part.  This is the most talky scene,
which seems to drag on and on.

Reggie (Laurel Johnson) was twelve when eighteen
year-old Guy kissed and inappropriately touched his
best friend’s young sister.  She was both confused and
enthralled by the action.   Johnson shows all the
signs of someone in deep conflict, conveying the mood
swings that are the results of the conflict between
desire and guilt.

In Boston, where Guy was a college instructor, he had
a clandestine adulterous affair with Lindsay (Laurel
Johnson),  an older colleague who was married to
another academic.  When their carryings-on were
discovered, Guy fled and left her to face the
humiliation alone.  Johnson is excellent as the
wronged Lindsay.  She embodies the role and seems to
have the clearest understanding of the whys of the
revenge she plots.

Finally, in Los Angeles, there is Bobbi (Alanna
Romansky), another who was loved and left.  She may
have been Guy’s real love, but he was unable to rid
himself of his love ‘em but leave ‘em past.  Romansky
develops her role well and is generally believable.

Sean Derry’s set design and the set changes by the
female members of the cast are quite clever.  As Guy
stays in hotels of the same chain, the rooms in which
the encounters take place are marked by the same
furniture, but through slight shifts of the scenery,
they become superficial like Guy.

Capsule judgement:  ‘SOME GIRL(S)’ is a thought
provoking play with an interesting premise.  Though
acceptable, the production needed a leading man who
more fit the physical and personality needs of the
role, and who also understood the underlying
motivations of the character.  As is, it’s a show
worth seeing, but is far from what it should be.

‘SOME GIRL(S)’ runs at The Bang And The Clatter runs
through September 9, 140 E. Market Street in Akron . 
For tickets call 330-606-5317.

Bang and Clatter’s next production is Cleveland
playwright Eric Coble’s ‘THE DEAD GUY,’ which runs
from September 21 through October 21.   The plot:  You
have one million dollars to spend in several days.  At
the end of the week, you die!  And, guess what?   The
audience gets to decide how you meet your end.


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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