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Moon Over Buffalo Also see John's recent review of When you see a play or musical a second time, you either get new insight from what you did not see the first time, or you see the weak spots exposed even wider. This was my second time seeing Moon Over Buffalo, the comedy by Ken Ludwig. Ludwig wrote a solid and quite humorous book for Crazy For You, earning him a Tony award. His other success was with the comedy farce Lend Me a Tenor. My first impression of the Moon Over Buffalo script remains basically intact. I felt Ludwig must have reached for his notes on previous scripts to somehow apply them to this one. There are mistaken identities; a couple who love each other, but dislike each other during the run of the play; and people going "on" for someone else. All of these "themes" flow through Crazy For You, Lend Me a Tenor, and Moon Over Buffalo. Director Rudy Seppy did not allow the weakness of the script stop him from creating comedy enjoyment for the evening. Seppy's direction and most of his cast really take the comedy a step above Ludwig's script, adding bits and moments that really make the comedy fly. But first you have to survive that first act, which at times brings loud laughter from the audience and at other times just drags. Thankfully there is Phillip Meyercord's eye catching set to look at during the potholes of the script. Meyercord and his set dressers went full force to create a true backstage of the Erlanger theatre in 1953 Buffalo, New York, and later a balcony set for the on stage play Private Lives. The walls of the backstage set are adorned with posters, props, etc. from the many shows in which the characters have performed. The multi-level set has doors for the actors to make swift entrances, keeping the slapstick comedy situations snapping at perfect pace. Amy Seals' costumes are rich in color and fabric. I thought the costumes for the Private Lives scene were particularly dashing as was the orange satin traveling costume for Charlotte. Unfortunately, the script is not the only problem in the production. The performance I attended, while entertaining, did come with additional problems, including a dreadfully slow scene change in act two. Also, some of the blackouts were just too slow when there was nothing to change on the set. I did not understand the need for long blackouts. The first 10-15 minutes of the first act are weighed down to a caterpillar's pace. The audience should be brought into the situation of a comedy (especially a farce) with high energy and pace. Alas, this was not helped by Jane Lipscomb (Ethel) who seemed to keep forgetting lines during those first 10-15 minutes. While Ms. Lipscomb does create a humorous character out of Ethel, sadly she fought for her lines throughout the entire evening, keeping her character out of sync with the rest of the cast. This is too bad, because when Lipscomb hits the mark, she is very funny. Mark Zastrow, as George Hay, is the major force of the evening and gives the best performance. He takes the role of the theatre star with the overblown ego to new levels, adding a high level of physical comedy to his character. His impeccable comic timing, assisted by hilarious facial expressions, aids him in his commitment to his character. As George's wife, Charlotte Hay, Carolyn Corsano Wong is a perfect match to Zastrow's zany comedic performance. Wong, who physically resembles Andrea Martin, plays her comic timing on a different key than Zastrow's which works perfectly. Wong delivers her one-liners and punch lines with a dry and sarcastic tone that hits the mark every time. J. Christine Lanning portrays Rosalind, the only child of this wacky "Lunt and Fontanne" theatre couple. Lanning does have a few pace problems in the first act, but midway through she connects and she hits the comic jackpot in act two. Lanning is a delight as she struggles with the nightmare that every actor fears - that of another actor missing their entrance. Jeremy Ferman is Paul, a former beau to Rosalind, and, as Paul puts it, "a schlepper for two stars". Ferman is charming as the poor "jack of all trades" to the Hays. The actor keeps his energy and pace zooming along, even during his numerous exits and entrances. My favorite scene for Ferman is his take on Private Lives in act two; his snotty english accent and his "laugh" is downright hilarious. What I enjoyed mostly from Ferman's performance is how he reacts and how he plays off his fellow actors, especially Zastrow. Ferman and Lanning also create the believable chemistry of a couple who, while no longer together, still yearn for each other. Though saddled with a weakly written role, Lon Barrera, as Howard, is also a comedy winner. Barrera adds a snorting laugh to the role which adds a perfect touch to the geeky weatherman who was to marry Rosalind. In minor roles, Kim Damron as Eileen and John Jenkins as Richard, are stuck in roles that give them nothing to do. Damron at times is too soft to to hear. Jenkins portrays the role too one-tone, never really pumping energy into his character. The end of the act just does not connect; Ludwig reached for straws to get all the loose ends tied up in a nice fancy bow and the script is gasping for air. Even a comedy must have some sort of honest and believable resolution and that just does not happen here. ICT's production overcomes Ludwig's uneven and rehashed script with some really terrific performances and direction. They alone save Moon Over Buffalo. Moon Over Buffalo closed August 4th. CAST GEORGE HAY..................Mark Zastrow |
