We see theatre when we’re on vacation; we see theatre when we’re home. Some may think we’re crazy. Some may think we need to see a head-shrinker. So we did… last night we saw “Beyond Therapy” at REP East.
If you asked me to summarize “Beyond Therapy” (written by Christopher Durang), I couldn’t. Well, I might say that it is a story of a couple, Bruce and Prudence, and how they got together. But that would give you no idea of what really happens. I found one theatre website that summarized the story as follows:
BEYOND THERAPY is an off-the-wall comedy and a singular love story. It is a tale of two unusual people who, aided by their dedicated therapists, strive to wrest happiness from an indifferent world. Bruce and Prudence are two New Yorkers who have met via the classifieds. Each is a bundle of neuroses not exactly made for the other; he’s an overly emotional, high-strung bisexual, and she’s intensely repressed. They try to create a relationship anyway, over the protests of Bruce’s live-in lover, Bob. Of course, they’re never going to get help from either of their therapists, who are in even worse shape. Prudence’s therapist is a male chauvinist with whom she slept just after they started their analysis, and Bruce’s therapist is a crazed, scattered woman with a penchant for malapropisms.
But even that doesn’t catch the craziness of this play, which also includes therapists having relationships with each other, fake accents, a restaurant that keeps changing theme, a mother who behaves like Marlene Deatrich, water being thrown hither and yon, surreptitious drinking. This is a play that just calls for craziness on stage.
I found a more detailed synopsis on a password protected site indexed by Google, but luckily, it was cached so you can read the summary. The Wikipedia page also gives some details. As one can see from this, there is lots of craziness is this play, and at times, even multiple actions and threads progressing seemingly simultaneously. It is distinctly silly and clearly insane.
During the play, there were some, like my wife (who is truly amused by silliness), that were laughing themselves silly. Others, like me (a very linear thinker) laughed at the occasional joke but were otherwise perplexed. After the show, I spoke to the director, Brad Sergi. Brad had worked with Durang on some productions of the play. He indicated that the play, which was written in the 1970s when all sorts of crazy psychotherapies abounded, was a commentary on odd psychotherapy approaches. I can see that explanation applying, but it still didn’t help my understanding. I’m guessing for linear thinkers like me understanding this play is difficult.
One thing that isn’t difficult to understand is quality of the acting that was shown. Just as it is difficult for someone who sings well to play singing badly, it is difficult to act insanely in a convincing manner. The cast that was assembled by the REP did just that. No, not sing badly… act insanely in a convincing manner (hmmm, I just realized there appears to be a lot of insanity at the REP this season, what with Cuckoo’s Nest earlier in the year, and M*A*S*H later in the year… must be something in that Santa Clarita water). In the lead positions were Nicole Dionne as Prudence (a repressed writer for People magazine that answers a personal Internet ad) and Mikee Schwinn (in his annual appearance) as Bruce (The man Prudence meets through that add, who is emotionally expressive, bisexual, impusive, and equally crazy in a different sense). Providing these two therapy were Carlo Pietrosanti as Dr. Stuart Framingham (Prudence’s therapist, who has a bad habit of sleeping with most of his female patients… including Prudence… and doesn’t like her relationship with Bruce) and Erin Michaels as Mrs. Charlotte Wallace (Bruce’s therapist, who is completely uninhibited, attached to a stuffed dog that she barks to encourage her patiences, and who believes it is better to risk and be insane than be boring, normal, and structured). Complicating Bruce’s life were Anderson Reid as Bob (Bruce’s male live-in lover, who is in group therapy) and Von Rae Wood as Mrs. Lansky (Bob’s mother and Marlene Dietrich surrogate… who happens to also be seeing Dr. Framingham). Lastly, complicating everything are the denizens of the ever-changing-theme restaurant: Tyrone “Tippy” Washington as the head waiter; Ransom Boynton as the other waiter, Andrew Wallace (son of the therapist Charlotte Wallace, who is also seeing her professionally); and Bill Quinn as an unnamed patron of the restaurant who flashes the waiter, but otherwise just sits in the restaurant and reads his book, silently observing the insanity. As I noted before, these folks did a wonderful job of playing insane… except Bill, who kept a straight face throughout everything. I particularly enjoyed the performances of the leads (Mikee and Nicole), who were quite fun to watch.
Turning to the technical side: As I noted above, the production was directed by Brad Sergi assisted by Bill Quinn. Johnny Schwinn served as Stage Manager. Nicole Dionne handled the choreography. Lighting and sound were by the award-winning regular REP team of Steven “Nanook” Burkholder (sound) and Tim Christianson (lights).
“Beyond Therapy” continues at the Repertory East Playhouse in Saugus through August 29, 2009. Tickets are available through the REP East Online Box Office, and possibly through Goldstar Events and LA Stage Tix. Performances do sell out (our show was sold out), so get your tickets quickly.
Upcoming Theatre: Next weekend brings us two productions: On Saturday 8/29 we’re going to the Hollywood Bowl, where we are seeing Liza Minnelli. Sunday sees us back in Hollywood: this time at the the Steve Allen Theatre at the Center for Free Inquiry in Hollywood for a staged reading of the first episode of “Meeting of Minds”. September brings the High Holy Days (Rosh Hashana is the evening of 9/18 and the morning of 9/19; Yom Kippur is the evening of 9/27 and the day of 9/28). The only theatre ticketed so far in September is “The Night Is A Child” at the Pasadena Playhouse on 9/25 @ 8pm. Concertwise, September brings Tom Paxton at McCabes on 9/13. October brings “The Hound of the Baskervilles” at the REP on 10/3 @ 8pm and “Guys and Dolls” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on 10/24 @ 8pm, and should also bring “Parade” at the Mark Taper Forum (HotTix go on sale 9/3; the show runs 9/24 through 11/15). As a reminder, I’m also always looking for interesting productions on Goldstar and LA Stage Tix, so if you have a production to recommend, please do so.
Lastly, remember that a recent study showed that it isn’t possessions that are important — it is shared experiences. So go have one of the best shared experiences there is: go support your local live theatre, and help keep all the people who work at the theatre (from the cast to the technical staff) employed.