Dale Gutzman directs Terrence McNally’s It’s Only A Play, a light and superficial little love letter to live theater that’s right at home in Off the Wall Theatre’s cozy studio theater space. The audience huddles comfortably for a show that takes place in the bedroom of a townhouse apartment in Manhattan on the night of a big Broadway opening.
The cast does its best with a script that never manages to achieve any genuine depth or insight into the nature of theater. In places the handling of the serious themes feels inadvertently funny in ways that are impossible to laugh at. A few performances save the show from being tedious for its entire two hours. Randall Anderson is charming as a witty actor from a long-running sitcom who is the best friend of the playwright. Patrick McCann radiates endearing warmth as the servant, Gus, an aspiring actor who has just arrived in Manhattan.
Through May 8 at Off the Wall Theatre, 127 E. Wells St. For tickets, call 414-484-8874 or visit offthewalltheatre.com.
