My overall impression
Bravo and lots of thumbs up!
I have to admit, I squirmed a bit at first when I walked into the theatre and saw an entire five rows of theatre seats on the stage and they were all facing us in the audience. For a minute I wondered who was really on stage! And then I saw myself in almost each and every one of those characters on the stage. I don’t want to give too much away about the story, so I will just say that I personally laughed ALOT and OFTEN! It was the kind of laugh where you can totally relate to the characters and what they are going through, because we have probably all been in each character’s position before in real life. If not us, then we all know characters just like this.
Great, funny and well crafted script by Steve Waverly. If there is such a thing as intelligent but relate-able comedy writing that NEVER becomes cliche, then this is it. Solid direction by Gabrieal Griego.
And it was a great cast who brought the playwright’s words to life. It was just funny, what can I say?! Daniel Dorr as Paul was refreshingly un-typecast and carried the show with confidence, Julie Bersani played Sandy perfectly with just the right combination of annoying patience and a surprising little bit of “naughty”, and the other cast members were effective as those typical idiosyncratic theatre goers that have sat next to you and me at a show (yes that includes the standard “necking” couple!) But five years from now when I think back about this show, who am I going to remember the most… ANTONIO!!! Stephen Spiegel IS Antonio, and for ever more he will (in my brain) be the standard to live up to for the prototype of the perfectly “greeezy” Italian gigolo! I’m anticipating a “spin-off”!
I’m excited to see theatre like this in Los Angeles. Congratulations to the cast and crew and thank you for bringing a great theatre experience to the public!
