Attention, local actors. Think twice before you take a part in a production in which Frank Blocker has been cast. Chances are good that he will steal the play right out from under you.
Blocker has a leading role in Rumors at Players Circle Theater and can make you howl with laughter without even opening his mouth. And when he undertakes the lines playwright Neil Simon has given him, I defy anyone to remain straight-faced. The play gives all the actors ample opportunity to sling comedic gold around with reckless abandon.
Rumors, like many of Simon’s plays, deals with marriage and coping with what life hands you. In this story, life hands out a doozy. Four wealthy couples gather to celebrate the tenth anniversary of friends. There’s a tiny problem though. The host of the party has shot himself in the ear, and neither the hostess nor the help is anywhere to be found.
As each succeeding couple arrives, the lies, conjectures, and yes, rumors compound. The four pairs verbally spar in an all too recognizable way but ultimately reveal their innate teamwork as events progress.
The pairings are delicious and distinctive. Carrie Lund Cacioppo’s dry delivery of lines nicely balances Blocker’s over the topness. Lauren Elizabeth Reed and Steven Coe vibrate in sync with up tightness. Ricky Pope and Kelly Jo Madoian are both quirky, wide-eyed naifs. (Special kudos to her for flexibility and physical comedy.) Seductive Elizabeth D’Aiuto will do anything to get the attention of politician AJ Mendini whom she suspects of philandering. Probably with cause.
The complex set by Steven McLean is tasteful and understated, the perfect contrast to the increasing chaos as the party rolls on and the liquor flows.
If you’ ever had a day when everything that could go wrong did go wrong, the plot of Rumors will make you realize things could always be worse.
Rumors runs through November 16. For tickets, call 239.800.3292.
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