Tempe Little Theatre's Rumors at Tempe Performing Arts Center
(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 9/12/98
(out
of )Comic master of the later Twentieth Century Neil Simon has taken on many subjects, from newlyweds to incompatible roommates to showbiz. Rumors is Mr. Simon's entry into the political arena, and while not one of his best, or even in the top ten of Simon's vast repertoire, it still has many classic and vintage Simon laugh lines and situations, and still shows signs of the master's craftsmanship.
Set in a posh suburb of New York City at the Victorian home of the Deputy Mayor of NYC, Rumors chronicles the attempts of four couples coming to a tenth anniversary party to deal with and cover-up a growing, generally unknown "situation." The facts are a Deputy Mayor with a gunshot wound, a missing wife and servants, and little to no answers as to why this is. Fearing scandal, the couples are given differing scenarios by the first onsite, until who-knows-what becomes a tangled mess.
Tempe Little Theatre's production is buoyed by a few solid performances, but marred by odd pacing and timing and the, at times halting, at other times frenetic direction by Christine Martin. While the evening definitely has its fun moments, there are other potentially funny bits and situations that just don't work.
The best of performances come from frenetic New Jersey-ite Steve Milo, who plays frenetic New Yorker Lenny Ganz, and from Kurt Johnson and Kim Foster, as Ken and Chris Gorman, the first couple to discover and deal with the situation. Each of these actors remains in character and is consistent, while they rarely flub their laugh lines. Also solid is Amy London as Lenny's sarcastic wife, Claire, who can deliver zingers with the best of them.
The rest of the cast suffers from inconsistencies and hesitations. For example, the oft-impressive Tina Khalil seemed preoccupied by vocal problems that made her normally projecting voice hoarse and raspy. Another example is Jill Knapp in the ditzy role of Cookie Cusack, whose kooky personality seemed a bit forced and unbelievable. Another inconsistency occurs in Geoff Bodeman's performance of soft-spoken psychiatrist Ernie Cusack, who was a bit too quiet and laid back in the first act, but is finally powerful (and audible) enough in the second. Some of the group seemed thrown off by the laughs of the nearly full house, while others seemed to concentrate more on their lines than the situation. These things affected the overall pacing of the show, always so important in a Simon comedy.
Though described as a Victorian house in the program and by some of the characters onstage, Eric Johnson has designed a standard box set that bears little resemblance to any Victorian house I've ever seen. In addition, it is painted in shades of blue that clash horribly with the inappropriate furniture and some of the actor's clothing. Bob and Dave Nelson have done a better job with the lighting, and Teri Glaess' costumes are very impressive, despite their struggle with the set.
Tempe Little Theatre has a hit-and-miss record, and
while this is not the best production they've mounted, it certainly
has enough entertaining moments to keep it from being their worst.
Perhaps after their opening weekend jitters, the cast will be
able to settle down and get their act together, even as their
characters are unable to keep their stories straight.
Production Details:
Rumors by Neil
Simon
Tempe Little Theatre at the Tempe Performing Arts Center, Tempe
350-8388
September 11th - September 26th, 1998