Laughs Galore Inhabit Renaissance Theaterworks' ‘L’Appartement’

×

Expand

Photo by Nathaniel Schardin, Traveling Lemur Productions.

Renassiance Theaterworks' ‘L’Appartement’

Nick Narcisi, Cara Johnston and Jonathan Bangs in Renassiance Theaterworks' ‘L’Appartement’

You may not be able to pronounce the name of this French comedy, but that’s no excuse not to see one of the funniest plays in town, as Renaissance Theaterworks presents the North American premiere of L’Appartement. The play opened on Sunday and continues through April 14.

As the curtain rises, one finds Paris couple Serge (Jonathan Bangs) and Lea (Cara Johnston) about to sublet their upscale apartment to an American couple for 11 days. Although the Parisians hardly seem strapped for cash, they nonetheless want to make the most of their absence by turning their trendy apartment into an Airbnb. 

Soon they are joined by the Americans: Rooster (Nick Narcisi) and Meg (Emily Vitrano), who left their Midwest home for a romantic getaway in the City of Light. Rooster and Meg have been married for 12 years. Rooster and Meg are working parents to twin toddlers. They have entrusted the twins to their grandparents and promise to focus only on each other during their trip. 

The French couple appears to be everything the Americans are not: they are worldly, sophisticated and uber-talented. Not only does the husband play soccer, he once played professionally. For Madrid. His current career in the healthcare field involves finding a cure for cancer. As for the svelte and stylish wife, Lea mentions that she loves to ski—especially when she did so in the Salt Lake City Olympics. She welcomes the Americans with a rare vintage from her family’s winery.

Sexual Attraction

After hearing about the twins, the French couple mention their own decision to remain childless. Serge claims that parenthood would cause them to sacrifice their freedom. Also, he continues, “children make sexual attraction (between the couple) disappear.” The French couple can barely keep their hands off each other.

Rooster and Meg do not dispute their claim. Their relationship definitely needs a pick-me-up, which they hope Paris will provide. He’s a school gym teacher and she’s a furniture sales rep. One can only imagine that their existence at home consists of picking up toys, changing diapers and trying to keep the kids from injuring themselves as they race around the living room. 

Attempting to emulate their hosts, Meg and Rooster try to be chic and suave, with hilarious results. Rooster is especially good at inserting his foot into his mouth, especially when he asks Serge, who is Black, where he came from. As the hosts bid adieu, they wonder if the Americans will accept a delivery that’s arriving soon. And they also warn them about a nosy next-door neighbor.

A Vacation in Hell

Long before the delivery arrives, however, the Americans’ dream vacation is already tanking. Exorbitant restaurant prices are nearly putting Rooster into a coma. He tires of trekking through endless museums and churches. After a grueling, three-hour visit to the Louvre, Rooster claims that the diminutive portrait of the Mona Lisa is “a fake.” And to top it all off, the rain never stops. 

Rooster reminds Meg more than once that it was never his idea to visit Paris, anyway. He had something far more rustic (and cheaper) in mind.

At her wit’s end, Meg tries every trick she knows to salvage their vacation. However, Meg cannot get the knack for finding a decent bottle of wine. Many of the play’s visual jokes involve Rooster—and later, the French couple—gagging on the “bargain” wine Meg finds at a local grocery store. Meanwhile, Rooster and Meg’s precious welcome bottle of wine sits proudly on the kitchen countertop—until it doesn’t. Did I mention that the apartment’s flooring is white marble? In case you weren’t aware, it seems that red wine and marble don’t make a good combination.

The comedy ramps up when a large truck drops off the aforementioned delivery. Wrapped securely in brown paper and shipping tape, the tall, lumpy object becomes the point of much conjecture and conversation between Rooster and Meg. Once they set it upright, the object towers over everything else in the living room. After Rooster retires for the evening, Meg cannot resist finding out what’s underneath the paper (sculpture design by Paul Gegenhuber). Once revealed (no spoilers here), the object seems to cast a spell on Meg. She responds with a primitive, sexually charged dance (to the sound of drumbeats). 

One of Milwaukee’s Funniest Spring Comedies

The smart, clever comedy continues to build throughout the 110-minute play. Playwright Joanna Murray-Smith would undoubtedly be pleased to see this production take shape under the deft direction of Mallory Metoxen. Murray-Smith wrote a couple of other plays produced locally: Bombshells at the Milwaukee Rep (2010) and Honour at Renaissance Theaterworks (2012).

One of the high points of this production are the authentic French accents delivered by Bangs and Johnston. Under the direction of well-known Milwaukee dialect coach Raeleen McMillon, these actors are incredibly convincing as the French couple (never mind that the actors hail from Texas and California). Likewise, Vitrano (who was raised in Milwaukee and plans to move back here soon) and  Narcisi come across with Midwest flavor. The two couples play well off each other, turning what could have been a few giggles into uproarious laughter. 

The set of L'Appartement contains only a few, well-selected pieces of furniture (scenic and lighting design by Jason Fassl), and its sleek, well-appointed lines make it all the funnier as an Airbnb for Meg and Rooster. The couple’s outfits (by costume designer Kim Instenes) are true to their characters. Lea’s black minidress is a stark contrast to the far more casual outfits worn by the couple arriving from the Midwest. 

As Serge and Lea return to home, they have travel stories of their own to tell. Not surprisingly, at the airport they were bumped to first class. What else would one expect from this fortunate couple, who seem anointed to experience all the finer things in life?

Renaissance Theaterworks has chosen an ideal play to cap its current season. Audiences who seek an escapist pleasure—one filled with laughter from start to finish—will definitely put L’Appartement on their social calendars.

“L’Appartement” runs through April 16 at the theater which also houses Next Act Theatre, 255 S. Water St., in Milwaukee’s Harbor District. For tickets, visit r-t-w.com, or call the box office at 414-278-0765.