Bigger ensemble shows of any kind can be uneven on many levels. The lower-budget ensemble productions can, quite often, play host to a really interesting and eclectic mix of energies that can be a lot of fun to watch. Such is the case with Carte Blanche Studio Theatre's latest--a production of Neil Simon's late '80s farce Rumors.
It's easy to make fun of Neil Simon as his brand of comedy is so typical of the mid 20th century. And it's easier still to make fun of the fact that is comedy hadn't changed all that much by the late 1980s. Rumors cam about over a quarter century after Simon's first Broadway play and the humor hadn't changed all that much in all that time. That being said, there are some pretty witty moments in the script. And as with any big ensemble comedy, there are moments in this production which are not always in sync with the style and the rhythm of the script. The interesting things about the Carte Blanche production is the fact that more often than not, the weaker moments that the cast has tend to match up with the stronger moments in the script. And while this isn't completely satisfying, it keeps the production from every becoming truly bad.
It doesn't hurt that there are some particularly strong actors in some particularly peripheral roles.
In the center of the story we have a politician who has suffered a gunshot wound just before a fancy dinner party. It's an upper-class get together, but it lacks the kind of inspired brilliance that one would get out of a more socially satirical mind like Oscar Wilde.
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In any case the assembled aristocracy have to deal with the question of how to deal with this incapacitated gentleman who is nevertheless alive but suffered from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It's kind of a fun premise for a comedy and there's plenty of different energies that go into the ensemble.
James Dragolovich and Carole Alt play the Gormans. They're the ones who arrive first at the party to find the host wounded. They are soon joined by the Ganzes. Claire seems to have been written to be kind of flaky. And it is because of the stereotypical nature of the character that it's really nice to see Mica Chenault in the role. She's got really great comic instincts. They serve that particular flat two dimensional stereotype particularly well. Playing a similarly vapid character, Jackie Benka similarly elevates the role of Cookie Cusack. There may not be much their for either of these characters, but thanks to really enjoyable performances by both actresses, there're at least fun to watch.
In the role of the psychologist husband of Benka's character, Josh B. Bryan manages a really impressive feat. He's constructed a character who is extremely cloyingly cartoonish and somehow manages to keep him from seeming at all annoying throughout the entire length of the production. Simon doesn't give the character very much depth. Bryan seems to be bored enough with it to want to add a little challenge in for himself that ends up being pleasantly enigmatic. It's little details like this that make this particular production of Neil Simon worth watching. It's fun. Even when it's not being entirely satisfying. It's well worth the trip out to the theater.
Carte Blanche Studio Theatre's production of Rumors runs through December 9th at Carte Blanche's space on 1024 South 5th Street. For ticket reservations, call 414-305-9102.
