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Recommended
--Tom Williams
Date reviewed: January 27, 2007
"I make a point of
not sleeping with friends, or the wives of friends or the wives of
acquaintances."
-- Simon Hench
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Scathing dark comedy delivers
British playwright Simon Gray’s 1970’s look at the newly open sexual
freedom of modern English society is a funny dark drawing room comedy.
His namesake, Simon (Gray claims Simon isn’t actually himself), played
with restraint and cutting wit by Jim Poole, is a brilliantly
successful publisher who attempts to isolate himself from the daily
hassles of family and friends with disastrous results. The mundane
issues bore and irate Simon. He simply wants to sit and listen to
Wagner's Parsifal.
But he is interrupted by Dave (Brian Dongarra), his young, poor and
uncouth boarder who is impatiently trying to get laid but needs a loan
from Simon. Simon’s attempt to withdraw inward while maintaining a
clever, buoyant passive aggressiveness whenever his isolation is
threatened is the root of witty comedy. This show creeps up on us as we
tune-in to Simon’s cryptic, subtle humor. Jim Poole is terrific as the sassy,
articulate and erudite publisher. He succeeds in cutting to
shreds several unwelcome guests who dare to keep him from his beloved
music.
His obnoxious friend Jeff (Dan McNamara) arrives to whine about his
sexual relationships and infidelities. Simon and Jeff unleash some of
the funniest dry wit and stinging banter heard on a stage in recent
memory. If you listen closely, you’ll appreciate the wit and laugh
heartily. These self-absorbed English snobs are so banal that we
delight in their folly. From Stephen (Jim Morley), Simon’s brother
frets over his possible appointment as assistant headmaster at a public
school to Dave’s frantic wooing to the arrival of Wood (Bob Wilson), a
self-loathing and sexually starved loser, Simon becomes reached down to
his core despite his best efforts to remain aloof.
His own extramarital sexual romps and his learning about his wife
Beth’s (Lauren N. Goode) affair rattle Simon’s world. This intelligent play has something to say
about our personal boundaries and rules of engagement. This little gem
is a fine way to become otherwise engaged.
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