The productions clip along at a brisk pace. All four plays,plus intermission, clock in at less than 90 minutes. There's another benefit for those who aresometimes annoyed by the enormous casts that Boulevard squeezes onto its tinystage (reminding one of canned sardines). In “Fourplay,” each of the offeringsfeatures only two actors, a male and female. This gives the characters enough roomto actually move about the stage.
In John Patrick Shanley's charming The Red Coat, a boy professes his love in the shy, awkward way thatyoung boys do. The second play, DeadRight, is a typical exchange between long-married partners. As the husbandreads the newspaper, he calmly points out an obituary to his wife. She knowsthe deceased, but only slightly. The wife is so appalled at the “unattractive”photo and “boring” narrative in the woman's obituary, she starts peppering herhusband about what he will put in herobituary. “Who cares?” he says matter-of-factly. “You'll be dead.” This onlyfuels the fire in a very funny, realistic conversation between husband andwife. Actors Barbara Weber and Mark Ninneman play off each other well.
The second part of the evening doesn't quite measure up tothe beginning. In Sure Thing, twosingles meet for the first time in a coffee shop. The play progresses in anonlinear fashion, demonstrating how any given response can either propel therelationship forward or snuff it out altogether.
Harold Pinter's TheLover focuses on an aristocratic, tea-sipping British couple. The coupleseems exceptionally reserved when discussing ongoing extramarital activities.Pinter adds a note of intrigue to the proceedings, although he, too, cannothelp but poke fun at the realities of romance.
“Fourplay” continues through Sept. 5 at theBoulevard Theatre, 2252 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Tickets are $20. For moreinformation, call (414) 744-5757.
