Arden Myrin and Patrick Breen. Photo by T. Charles Erickson |
Deep inside, does the lamb shelter
a tiger, does the hummingbird repress an eagle? What might happen if, one day,
the lamb and the hummingbird were confronted by their inner tiger and eagle,
forced to deal with their alter egos? Such is the premise of Steve Martin’s new
comedy, Meteor Shower, which is
having its world premiere at Long Wharf Theatre under the direction of the
theater’s artistic director Gordon Edelstein. This light comedy, heavy on word
play and sexual innuendo, is a diverting parlor game that works its premise for
all it’s worth, generating a lot of laughs but somehow leaving one wanting just
a bit more, a final moment, perhaps, that comments on the human condition as
the century turned rather than relying on a sight gag.
As the lights go up we are
introduced to a couple that has “worked out” their marriage by learning to
express their feelings and thanking each other for doing so in a hand-holding
ritual that is scripted by all of the “How to Save Your Marriage” manuals.
There’s Corky (the delightful Arden Myrin), whose head occasionally “explodes,”
but otherwise sincerely…oh so sincerely…appreciates her husband’s willingness
to express his feelings and admit, contritely, when he has said something that
might shatter her tender ego. Then there’s Norm (Patrick Breen), who is, well,
“normal,” a true marital mensch who has learned to confess his sins
instantaneously. They live in a neat, stylishly appointed home in Ojai,
California, compliments of scenic designer Michael Yeargan, that will revolve
to allow the couple and their alter egos to alternately spar in the living room
and stand out on the patio to observe a meteor shower, a cascade of flaming
interstellar visitors that will disrupt Corky and Norm’s “happy” home.
The doorbell rings, and the
contented couple welcome Gerald (Josh Stamberg) and Laura (Sophina Brown) into
their home – of course, Gerald and Laura have always been lurking in the home,
for they are the tiger and the eagle that Norm and Corky have repressed, but
now here they are, in the flesh, the exact opposites of the happy couple.
Whatever Norm has chosen to bury deep in his psyche Gerald wears as a badge of
honor; whatever Corky has hidden from herself Laura flaunts. The dichotomy is
enhanced by Jess Goldstein’s costumes: Norm is dressed in what might be called country
casual and Corky has apparently taken her couture clues from The Donna Reed Show. Gerald is dressed
all in black, all muscle and motor-cycle toughness, and Laura is the ultimate
femme fatale, wearing a red dress that makes love to her body. As an aside,
it’s seldom that a costume change (perhaps “enhancement” might be the better
word) elicits one of the biggest laughs in a show, but Norm’s entrance in the
second act required the entire cast to hold on line delivery until the audience
members ceased their chuckles and guffaws. Remembering that entrance now, a day
later, still engenders laughter.
All four actors work wonderfully to
bring this transformation to life, chief among them Myrin, whose hummingbird-to-eagle
conversion is a joy to watch, especially once her character realizes that the
meteorite has opened up a new world for her. Equally engaging is Breen’s
seduction of his alter ego as he unmans the man’s man.
Playing characters that are
dominant and dominating in the first act, Stamberg and Brown deftly pull in
their horns in the second act as Gerald and Laura become somewhat nonplussed by
what the meteor shower has wrought. Oddly enough, although set in 1993, there
is a strong element of 30s madcap comedy in Meteor
Shower -- the classic battle of the sexes complete with zingers and double
entendres, albeit the battle is an internal one as repressed psyches come to
the fore.
If one were to chart the transformation
that occurs during the play, there might be some quibbles with regards to
logic, but Edelstein has wisely opted for a fast-paced delivery that does not
allow for reflection – you just go with the flow, sit back and enjoy.
Meteor
Shower runs through Oct. 23. For tickets or more information call
203-787-4282 or go to www.longwharf.org.
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