Festival of New One Act Plays provides three hours of laughs

Published: Friday, May 12, 1995

Productions aided by impressive sets and clever acting

By Jeana Blackman

Whoever said you can't please everyone has obviously never been to Act One '95, the Second Annual Festival of New One Act Plays playing at the Met Theatre.

The six one-acts that compose Evening A run the gamut from brothers dealing with their mother's possible suicide to a spoof on the health craze that's currently sweeping the nation.

Almost all of the shows contain elements of comedy, even if they deal with a serious topic. Maybe the writers feel that if the audience is kept laughing, they'll forget that the evening is three hours long.

Actually, one of the most impressive things about the production is how quickly sets are changed. There were three one- acts in each segment, and the pause never lasted longer than a minute. Kudos to production stage manager Michel Chenelle, stage manager Melanie Oettinger and their crew for acing a difficult task.

But back to the shows. "The Juiceman Cometh" by Peter Spiro is by far the best of the six. It's also the last. But the wonderful pacing and writing, plus a top-notch crew of actors makes it worth the wait. The show is just made for an L.A. audience with its clever parody of the current health-conscious attitude.

The characters are all sitting in a juice "bar," drink shots of "wheat grass" and chase it down with lawn juice. And if that isn't enough, they chew sprouts as if it was tobacco. What makes it work is the absolute seriousness in which the characters handle it.

Sandy Martin is especially fun to watch and Sherman Howard is delightful as the Juiceman himself who has temporarily fallen off the wagon and has eaten meat. (Oh no!) By the end, you'll be hoping for a second act.

"Betrayed by Everyone" is also a good jaunt through the lives of two teenagers getting to know each other before a party begins. It does a good job of telling a story instead of getting caught up in the whole Generation X issue.

Mark Ruffalo puts in an amazing performance as Warren, a rather alienated young man. He does a great job of giving the character charm. Of course with a line like "Chivalry is not dead; it just smells funny," it's hard to not laugh.

The best thing about the production is that despite all of the laughs at some really great jokes, the show is not just a shallow chuckle fest. The need for the two to belong to someone comes across loud and clear and speaks to all of us. A wonderfully constructed piece.

"Affections of an Alleycat" by Wil Cahoun has a similar theme. The difference is that the characters are older and have spent a lifetime pushing people away. This piece does have its comic moments, but its real strength lies in some of the dramatic pauses.

The fire and connection between Denise (Susan Barnes) and Eddie (Arliss Howard) is so strong you'll be hooked. They are wonderful together, and they have just enough balance between sarcasm and real emotion that they don't distance the audience, but it's clear how their behavior leads to that. We care what happens to them. It's another great piece of theater.

Two of the pieces have family themes, and both of these made their own positive contributions to the evening. "The Talk" by Frank Pugliese has the distinct honor of opening the evening. It's also one of the shortest one-acts of the evening, making it seem as if the whole story was kind of cramped.

Pugliese wastes no time, which is some cases may be a blessing. In this case, he has established four wonderful beginnings of brothers but there's not really enough to get to know them and therefore care about them. Just as you are beginning to figure out who's who and how everyone relates to each other, the act is over.

The idea is good, as the four brothers are struggling to deal with the possible suicide of their mother and an upcoming serious talk with their father. The four actors also do a credible job of rounding out their characters as much as possible. The main drawback is that Pugliese doesn't give the story time to develop.

On the other hand, "Water and Wine" by Stuart Spencer is a little too long. This father and son tale is a great story idea about a boy torn between the desire to follow his artistic impulses and his responsibility to tend to the vineyards with his father. It's given a rustic charm by being set around the Renaissance time period.

The catalyst for the plot is the discovery of an ancient statue that a crusty, but well-known artist is coming to evaluate. The story seems to be asking the question whether or not it is ever too late for your dreams, but it gets lost in some long drawn out conversations, especially between the boy and the artist.

For instance, the man that accompanies the artist spends more time looking at this "exquisite" statue (located offstage) with the boy's father than the artist does, obviously to make time for the boy's "bonding moment" with the cantankerous artist.

There are some good things about the production that make it pleasing to sit through. Tom Bower as the father is a delight and Adam Scott as the boy does well in maintaining the balance between practicality and idealism. The set is charming complete with candles and a rustic mountain feel.

Basically the story gets bogged down by some extra dialogue that doesn't need to be there. The idea is established far more quickly than the playwright maybe realizes. The basis, however, is there which makes it worth it.

The only show that absolutely does not work is "You Belong to Me" by Keith Reddin. It attempts to switch between the subconscious with all of it's crazy thoughts and reality. The main couple keeps having fantasies about killing each other or joining in on the plot to murder their mutual friend. Each of the "fantasies" are acted out with a string bass playing underneath. When the music stops, the actors return to reality.

Basically, there is no story or plot device that really holds the show together. There's no explanation why these characters would even want to kill each other. Yet, all of this would be acceptable if the jokes were funny. But they're not. The show just wanders aimlessly to its conclusion, which the entire audience wasn't even sure was the conclusion.

The actors try to keep it together doing well in the transitions from one state of mind to the next, but ultimately it's not enough to keep the script afloat. The only thing that makes this one-act at all bearable is the fabulous String Bass Player Latif who occasionally appears from behind a scrim. Just close your eyes and listen to him. Don't worry, you won't really miss anything.

However, the one downer is not enough to keep this from being a thoroughly enjoyable evening of entertainment. Act One '95, Evening A compiles some really fabulous talent in all areas from writing to acting, and it is well worth the time spent. One piece of advice, if you go on a Saturday, see the 5 p.m. show. By the end of the later show, you might just be exhausted.

THEATER: Act One '95, Evening A at the Met Theater, 1089 North Oxford, Hollywood. Runs varying evenings through May 27 (alternates with Evening B). TIX: $19 General. For more info call (213) 957-1152 between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. (except Tuesdays).