Neil Simon's Proposals at Orpheum Theatre
(out of 
)Mark S.P. Turvin
(home office) (602) 912-0117
I can be reached for comment via e-mail at: mspt@goldfishpublishers.com
Reviewed 9/5/97
(out of )It's not often that Phoenix gets the chance to attach the moniker of "Tryout Town" to it's name, but the legendary Neil Simon and his young, Tony Award-winning director Joe Mantello have decided to take Simon's thirtieth play on the road before it's November New York opening. That road runs not through New Haven or Boston, but our fair town. This fact alone make the play a must-see for Phoenicians. This isn't the only reason, though. Proposals is a rough gem, needing cutting and polishing, but it still has the gleam of a Simon hit, despite its occasional mistakes and misfires.
There are really two reasons to see this play. The first is to enjoy the vintage Neil Simon comedy that runs throughout the evening, despite being occasionally obscured in this work-in-progress. The second is to view a master at work, as some moments and characters get away from him, and enjoy a draft of a play that may wind up being different from what Broadway audiences and future generations will finally see.
Proposals is a period piece, set in the fifties in the idyllic woods of the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. It is brimming with nine characters who each have journeyed far to reach this Tempest-like spot. Burt, the patriarch of this strange mix is having heart troubles, both literally and figuratively, and eavesdrops on his daughter, Josie, and their black housekeeper, Clemma, each with heart troubles of their own. Into the mix is thrown Josie's recently ex-fiance, his best friend who happens to be Josie's former boyfriend, with his new dizzy girlfriend in tow, and a street-wise Italian suitor from North Miami Beach. Add to this Burt's loved and loving ex-wife, and Clemma's prodigal husband, and the stage is set for a mending of broken hearts and the creation of new loves, a'la Neil Simon.
The script is very long, running almost two hours and forty five minutes. There are some discussions, plots and perhaps even some characters that are in need of cutting. The narrative device involving Clemma that binds the show together is clumsy. The entire second act is perhaps twenty minutes too long. Even with these problems, the vintage Neil Simon bits shine as bright as ever.
The credit of what works can be shared between director, writer, and thoroughly talented cast, headed by L. Scott Caldwell as Clemma, and Ron Rifkin as Burt. The professionalism of the cast and crew drifts over the footlights like the fog that shrouds the cabin at the open of the show. As the omniscient-yet-participatory Clemma, Ms. Caldwell portrays the characters inner strength, loving nature, and bitter streak equally well. As the ailing Burt, looking to bring estranged mother and daughter back together, Mr. Rifkin is at turns humorous and heartbreaking. As Josie, Suzanne Cryer does a great job whether she's avoiding pursuits, bantering wittily, or raging at life's inequities.
The rest of the cast, save for Katie Finneran's portrayal of the stereotypically and annoyingly ditzy blonde Sammii, are on a par equal to the leads. This one problem seems more a mixture of writing, direction, and performance, and is not Ms. Finneran's fault completely.
There is still some sketchiness to the smaller roles; a hesitancy of creation and recreation which will undoubtedly improve with time. The imagery, too, is still in need of crafting, laying the bird images a bit too thickly throughout. Still, the glimmers of Simon's dead-on dialogue, the tenderness and touchiness that pretty much balances the evening, show that soon these problems will pass, creating a Simon classic that may not be his best, but is still a worthy addition to the already-impressive canon.
Visually, the show is beyond stunning, recreating a two story cabin and the surrounding woods through the use of a turntable. John Lee Beatty's set design is unbeatable, and equally complimented by Brian MacDevitt's lighting, Jane Greenwood's costumes and Tom Clark's sound. There is a filmic quality to the production which sometimes takes away from the show, and this is especially obvious with the use of Stephen Flaherty's incidental music.
Mr. Simon's consistent use of biographic material over the
last fifteen or so years has lead to some great scripts, and some
misses. This script, with its mixture of memory and imagination,
seems destined to be highly respected. It is fortunate that Phoenicians
will get a before-and-after glimpse of this great writers process.
Production Details:
Proposals by Neil Simon
Orpheum Theatre, Phoenix
252-7272
September 3rd-September 11th, 1997