THEATRE REVIEW: Steve Martin's "The Underpants" at North Coast REP

“The Underpants” Not A Perfect Fit: 
North Coast Rep Season Opener Gets Giddy Without Much Gall  

By Donnie Matsuda 

It is no secret that sex sells, but in the case of The Underpants, a 1910 sociopolitical German farce re-adapted by comedian Steve Martin in 2002, it is possible to get too little of a good thing.  

That’s because the comedy written into this flimsy piece of farcical fluff is not the fast-paced, door-slamming, case of mistaken identity that we’ve come to expect of modern-day mockeries.  Instead, it is a light romp through a number of one-liners and low-blows, all with the underlying sexual undercurrent of double entendre.  Some of the jokes fly high, some fall a bit flat.  But the good thing about this brand of humor is that it keeps moving forward at a clipped pace so that there’s no time to truly analyze what is being said or whether or not it is truly funny (and this kind of comedy doesn’t take itself seriously at all, so no analysis is ever necessary).

Matthew Henerson and Holly Rone in "The Underpants."  Photo courtesy of North Coast REP.

In the play’s opening scene, we meet the two major players Theo and Louise Maske (played by a blustery Matthew Henerson and a glowing Holly Rone) and we learn about the one event that is shocking enough to remain the talk of the town for the rest of the play’s two acts over two hours.  Much to Theo’s chagrin, Louise accidentally lets her undergarments slip to her knees during the King’s royal parade (or so we hear second hand, the day after the event).  And that one split-second wardrobe malfunction has major consequences.  For one, the uptight Theo worries that he could lose his job as a civil servant, not to mention the rumors and the lack of respect that could potentially swirl about their household.  And then, there are the two renters who come knocking at the Maske’s door: a suave poet Frank Versati (a charming Jacob Bruce) and a prickly barber Benjamin Cohen (an over-the-top Omri Schein).  

As these two gents co-inhabit the room for rent in the Maske home, it becomes clear that their motivations are far more lustful than previously thought.  They both, in fact, saw the infamous “dropping of the drawers” at the royal parade and they have each hatched their own plan for a little sausage warming of their own.  And helping them out is the Maske’s upstairs neighbor (a crude and nosy Clarinda Ross) who attempts to add some sexual spice to her own life by living vicariously through the extramarital antics of Louise.  And to top it all off, there is the late addition of yet another gentleman whose intentions are not very clear at all, a bewildering and befuddled scientist named Klinglehoff (played with pure puzzlement by Jonathan McMurtry).   

(L-R): Matthew Henerson, Omri Schein, Holly Rone, and Jacob Bruce.  Photo courtesy of North Coast REP.

Thankfully, North Coast REP’s production boasts an extremely talented company of actors who nearly knock the pants off this somewhat underwhelming – though gleefully goofy - comedy.  Each member of this impressive six-member cast boasts rock-solid acting chops and each has prolific stage credits that could easily fill an entire program.  Because of both their extensive experience and their ace comedic abilities, these six actors play beautifully off each other and truly elevate the paper-thin plot and laughable antics of the mostly archaic piece.  More importantly, director Mark Pinter plays up the physical comedy only when the timing feels right and he doesn’t let his over-the-top characters veer too much into the realm of buffoon.  Instead, he goes for a much more organic (and hence, much more palatable) feel, which works well in the hands of his brilliantly comedic cast. 

Of course, it is most fitting in reviewing a play titled after an article of clothing that the show’s costumes are given special mention.  The beautifully buttoned-up looks of Alina Bokovikova’s period couture almost steal the show in and of themselves, with the gents sporting some mighty spiffy suits and the ladies corseted and laced up in some vibrant Victorian get-ups.  And the whimsical set by veteran designer Marty Burnett simply couldn’t be more adorable or delightful, with plenty of Alice in Wonderland-inspired topsy-turvy designs and off-kilter elements done up in bright golds, browns, and burgundies.

The Company of "The Underpants."  Photo courtesy of North Coast REP.

Given the play’s rather unconventional history (who would expect one of our modern-day comedians to adapt a play by one of the major exponents of German Expressionism?!), not to mention it’s rather unconventional title, it is perhaps no surprise that The Underpants falls a bit short of its unfocused aims and doesn’t quite come off as the hilarious, fun-filled, saucy and seductive sex farce that it should.  But all things considered, it does have a lot to offer in terms of innocent, tongue-in-cheek charm (thanks to the fresh zingers penned by Mr. Martin) while also attempting to weave in some meatier themes of the price of infidelity and the fleeting nature of fame.  

So, if you’re looking for an elegantly staged and well-acted evening of penis jokes and sexual double-entendres, then get your bloomin’ arse over to North Coast REP for some fickle fun.  Once you see it, you’re sure never to underestimate the power of an undergarment ever again!        

  

Things to know before you go: The Underpants plays at North Coast Repertory Theatre through September 30, 2012.  Running time is 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission.  Performances are Wednesdays at 7pm, Thursdays – Saturdays at 8pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2pm and Sunday evenings at 7pm.  Tickets are $37-$54 with discounts available for seniors, students and military.  For more information or to purchase tickets, call (858) 481-1055 or visit www.northcoastrep.org.

AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID ELLENSTEIN AS MOONLIGHT STAGE TAKES TO THE FIDDLE

A Tevye for Our Times:

David Ellenstein steps out of his artistic director shoes and into the work boots of America’s most iconic milkman

By Donnie Matsuda

It is perhaps no surprise that the masterful musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF has stood the test of time.  The beloved and poignant tale of a poor Jewish milkman named Tevye who fights to maintain his family intact and his Jewish religious traditions unscathed as the winds of change swirl about him is perhaps as relevant as ever in our current times.  But what is surprising is that actor, director, and artistic director of North Coast REP, David Ellenstein, has never tackled the role of the famed “Dairyman” – a role which he seems born to play.  Now, he gets that chance, as he carries on the tradition of Tevye (a role his father has played several times) and as he makes his debut on the Moonlight stage in the company’s second show of its 32nd Summer Season.

David Ellenstein as Tevye in Moonlight Stage Production's "Fiddler on the Roof."  Photo courtesy of Ken Jacques.

DONNIE:  I was surprised to see that you have not done FIDDLER (either as an actor or director) before.  Will this be your first time doing this show?  And will this be your first time working on the Moonlight stage?

DAVID:  My first FIDDLER and my first time at Moonlight.  I have known the show since childhood.  My Dad appeared in it several times and I have seen a number of productions.  I am excited to take on "the Dairyman" and to be debuting at Moonlight. 

DONNIE:  How does it feel being back on the “performing” side of things?  Is it hard to step out of your directing shoes and be back on stage?

DAVID:  I have been getting back on stage about once a year (MY NAME IS ASHER LEV and TALLEY'S FOLLY most recently at North Coast Rep.)

It is very good for me as a theatre artist to go through the actor’s process.  It makes me a better director, a better theatre person, and a more compassionate theatre employer.  When one takes on a large role like this you must trust your director and not try to impose on that side.  Acting requires a full commitment of being and there really isn't room for the "visionary" or the “critic” if you are fully inhabiting a role.

David Ellenstein as Tevye.  Photo courtesy of Ken Jacques.

DONNIE:  What aspect of Tevye’s character do you most identify with?  

DAVID:  His big heart.  His inability to be unjust or unkind to fellow human beings.  His ability to laugh at himself and question everything.  His innate knowledge that nothing is black and white, but that we live in a world that is ever changing and ever surprising.  His ability to overcome unpleasantness and forge on.

DONNIE:  In what way are you completely unlike the character you play?

DAVID:  He is a manual laborer and works extremely hard with his hands. I am an artist and run a theatre - the physical nature of our two selves is very different.  I grew up in an upper middle class home, whereas Tevye comes from poverty.

DONNIE:  What artistic challenges do you face stepping into such an iconic role?

DAVID:  Being true to the character and the situation.  Fulfilling what an audience expects and desires from the role, but still being unique and personal in how it is delivered.  Being satisfying and surprising at the same time for both the audience and myself.  Knowing that the enduring impact of the character is in its truth and trusting that.

DONNIE:  In your opinion, what is relevant about FIDDLER today?

DAVID:  Our world is ever in flux and change.  What is true today in absolute terms may not be tomorrow.  Our ability to adapt, accept, and move on with shifting perspective and acceptance - and still have room to dream and find joy in those we love and the world we live in.  FIDDLER is filled with this universal truth which is why it is a timeless show.  Not to mention how well written and structured it is.  Great songs help, too.

Kathy Brombacher first directed "Fiddler" as a student at the University of Redlands early in her career and now it will be the last show she directs as Artistic Director of Moonlight Stage Productions, a Vista-based company which she founded 32 years ago.  Photo courtesy of North County Times.

DONNIE:  How would you describe Kathy Brombacher’s artistic vision for the show?

DAVID:  Kathy wants to be true to the script, true to the historical context, and true to the needs of her audience.  She understands her space so well, and what needs to be done to communicate this show properly in its confines.  Her approach comes from a place of knowledge of the material and a breadth of experience, but is allowing of input and ideas from her artists.  I am delighted to be working with Kathy at the helm.

DONNIE:  What are you most looking forward to about Moonlight's production of FIDDLER?

DAVID:  The joy of doing it.  Inhabiting and sharing Tevye with the audience.  Bringing a bit of my Dad onstage with me each night and knowing that my sons are taking it all in.  Tradition!

Things to know before you go: Fiddler on the Roof opens at Moonlight Stage Production’s Amphitheatre on July 25 and runs through August 11, 2012.  Performances are Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 8pm.  Gates open for picnicking and dining at 6:30pm.  Tickets are $15-$50.  For more information or to purchase tickets, call (760) 724-2110 or visit www.moonlightstage.com.

THEATRE REVIEW: "Dames at Sea" at North Coast REP

“Dames” Works Hard to Entertain:

North Coast REP pulls out all the stops in its tap-happy spoof of large and lavish movie musicals of the 1930’s

By Donnie Matsuda
 

Late in the second act of Dames at Sea, a young and impressionable chorus girl named Peggy Sawyer (I mean “Ruby”) must take the place of the show-within-a-show’s leading lady, Dorothy Brock (here named “Mona Kent”) after she falls and breaks her ankle (or rather, back).  As Ruby is forced to learn all of the show’s scenes, songs and choreography in a matter of hours, she’s told, “You’re going out on the poop deck a chorus girl, but you’ve got to come back a star!” 

(L to R): Jeffrey Scott Parsons, Roxane Carrasco and Luke Jacobs in "Dames at Sea" at North Coast REP.  Photo courtesy of Barron Henzel.

With a line and concept ripped (nearly) verbatim from the most tap-tacular of Broadway musicals, 42nd Street, it is clear that Dames at Sea exists merely to poke fun at the big, bold, tap-heavy tuners of the 1930’s.  And while it does an adequate job of capturing, perhaps even mocking, the carefree innocence and cheery optimism of the era, it doesn’t quite convey the spirit and savvy that made those mega-musicals sing and dance in the hearts of millions of theatre-goers in Depression-era America.  Perhaps part of the problem is the mediocre music by Jim Wise and the barely there book and lyrics by George Haimsohn and Robin Miller.  None of the shows fifteen musical numbers are very memorable (even the title number falls a bit flat) and the characters, while endearing and syrupy sweet, are so campy and cartoonish that they’re more distracting than they are funny. 

But thankfully, North Coast REP’s sprightly production rises above the mediocre material and veteran director Rick Simas does a bang up job of packaging the show’s silly seafaring shenanigans so that they come across as fresh, fun, and fancy free as they possibly can.  His top-notch, tap-tastic revival goes off without a hitch and doesn’t miss a beat as it powers through countless showy tap numbers with the command and buoyancy of the U.S. battleship on which it takes place.  And at the heart of his production are six powerhouse performers who are not only impressive triple threats, but ace tappers as well.

Sarah Errington as Ruby.  Photo courtesy of Barron Henzel.

At the helm is Sarah Errington as the naïve yet enthusiastic Ruby (a role that launched the career of Bernadette Peters back in the 1968 Off-Broadway production).  Errington plays the bright eyed and bushy tailed ingénue to a tee and has some powerful vocal and dancing chops to boot.  As her love interest, the singing, dancing, and song-writing sailor Dick (don’t all sailors tap dance and write upbeat melodies on the turn of a dime?), Jeffrey Scott Parsons is a joy to watch.  He has an effervescent charm and clean cut good looks that often belie his incredibly impressive song and dance abilities.  

Natalie Storrs (most recently seen as Rosemary in How to Succeed at the Welk) is a hoot as Joan as she snaps her gum and taps her toes as only a Brooklyn-born moll can.  And as her love interest Lucky, Luke Jacobs is innocent and sweet and the two of them play off each other marvelously.  Broadway veteran Roxane Carrasco is outstanding as the broadly comedic and overly pompous leading lady Mona Kent and Spencer Rowe is a standout as both Mr. Hennesey and The Captain.

The company of "Dames at Sea."  Photo courtesy of Barron Henzel.

Choreographer Susan Jordan-DeLeon and Tap Choreographer Lisa Hopkins (who recently choreographed Dames at Sea at The Colony Theatre in Burbank) have done incredible work here, bringing the show’s large production numbers to life on what is probably the narrowest of sets seen in recent NCR history (fortunately, set designer Marty Burnett opens things up a bit with his splashy and spacious ship deck in Act Two).  As is to be expected, the dancing stays true to the good old fashioned Broadway style of tap - including paddle and rolls, wings, maxi fords, syncopated pullbacks, and time steps a plenty – but it is performed with such precision and panache that it is truly exciting to watch.  The sailors Dick and Lucky even get entrenched in a tap-off in the Act Two opener in which they get to show off some fancy footwork that builds nicely into a full-cast show-stopping number.

So, while Dames at Sea may be a more modest and muted version of the mega-musicals of the 1930’s, it still exists as a lovely (and at times charming) valentine to the Busby Berkeley extravaganzas of the era.  And in the hands of a game and energetic cast, a stalwart director, and of course, a couple of ace choreographers, NCR’s production sails high and mighty in an exuberant revival.  So get your boarding pass now…it’s a nautical adventure you won’t want to miss!

Things to know before you go: Dames at Sea plays at North Coast Repertory Theatre through July 29, 2012.  Running time is 2 hours and 20 minutes with a 15 minute intermission.  Performances are Wednesdays at 7pm, Thursdays – Saturdays at 8pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2pm and Sunday evenings at 7pm.  Tickets are $32-$52 with discounts available for students and military.  For more information or to purchase tickets, call (858) 481-1055 or visit www.northcoastrep.org.

THEATRE REVIEW-LETS: "TWO BY PINTER" at NORTH COAST REP and "CALIFORNIA SUITE" at SCRIPPS RANCH

The “Pinter” Plays and a “Suite” of Neil Simon Play-lets

By Donnie Matsuda

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing a collection of short plays packaged into two neat-and-tidy productions – “Two by Pinter” at North Coast REP and “California Suite” at Scripps Ranch Theatre.  In response to these short, easily digestible, bite-sized theatrical confections, I decided my review of these two shows should take on the style and structure of the pieces themselves.  So, here is my attempt at producing review-lets that tell you all you need to know in one brief, compact critique.

Elaine Rivkin as Sarah and Mark Pinter as Richard in Harold Pinter's "The Lover."  Photo by Aaron Rumley.

 

First, two plays by Harold Pinter – “The Lover” and “The Dumb Waiter” – randomly paired together and directed by North Coast REP’s artistic director, David Ellenstein.  It must first be said that Pinter is best known and admired (and sometimes avoided) because of his uncanny ability to create dramatic poetry out of everyday speech.  His plays generally take place in a single room and his works, which blend comedy and drama, often focus on jealousy, betrayal, power, and sexual tension.  But with Pinter, it is more about how he says things than what he says that makes his dizzying dialogue so utterly intriguing.  Pinter's language, an oddball mix of lower-class vernacular and high class wit peppered with tons and tons of pregnant pauses, has been described as “Pinteresque,” and suggests a cryptically mysterious situation that is undermined by unspoken intrigue and imbued with hidden menace.  If that last line didn’t tickle your fancy or get your theatrical adrenaline flowing, then perhaps Pinter isn’t the playwright for you.

“The Lover” introduces us to an elegant, middle class couple who live in a detached house near Windsor. On the surface, they seem to have it all – a nice home, comfortable careers, and great chemistry – until we learn that their marriage is rather lacking in the bedroom.  The play begins with them openly bantering back and forth about their sexual (ahem) indiscretions as husband Richard (a winning Mark Pinter) nonchalantly quips, “Is your lover coming today?” and his wife Sarah (a fetching Elaine Rivkin) replies dreamily, “Yes.”   But don’t worry about potential inequality in this 1960’s adulterous arrangement because Richard has his own “slut” that he’s been seeing on the side.  It is all talked about with such flippant flair and anchored with underlying ambiguity and ambivalence that it makes one stop and think about what roles reality and fantasy play in intimate relationships.  And, of course, this being Pinter, there is a juicy twist that cinches the ending and puts a decided denouement on this hour-long pedantic and playful pas-de-deux.

(L to R): Frank Corrado as Ben and Richard Baird as Gus in Harold Pinter's "The Dumb Waiter."  Photo by Aaron Rumley

After intermission, we are immediately transported to a completely different time and place (thanks to Marty Burnett's masterful set design that transforms from upscale English country manor to dark and dank basement in a matter of minutes).  Here, in "The Dumb Waiter," we meet Ben and Gus (a formidably amusing Frank Corrado and Richard Baird, respectively), two hit men who, while trapped in said basement waiting for their next hit, talk back and forth about a number of seemingly insignificant topics, including the latest newspaper headlines, the existence of an Eccles cake, the identity of cricket players in a photo on the wall, and whether the appropriate phrase is "put the kettle on" or "put the gas on."

And this being Pinterland, there are deeper and darker themes at work here, the most potent of which is the idea of political terror masquerading as stuffy murder melodrama.  As actor Frank Corrado states in his program notes, "What makes 'The Dumb Waiter' all the more intriguing is that the political terror has as its inscrutable operative a mechanical conveyance that seems to take perverse pleasure in making capricious sport of those who dumbly await their marching orders and those who unsuspectingly await their fate."  And here, as we sit though the play's maddening and discomforting dialogue until we reach a point where we can barely take the tedium anymore, the general sense of menace and absurdity grows to a surprising and most telling conclusion.  To top it off, it is all delivered with spot-on accuracy by Pinter pros Corrado and Baird whose comfortable chemistry and in-depth understanding of the playwright inform a most intriguing and thought-provoking piece of theatre.

(L to R): Bernard X. Kopsho, Teri Brown, and Susan Clausen Andrews as visitors from Philadelphia in Neil Simon's "California Suite."  Photo by Daren Scott.

The mood is much lighter over at Scripps Ranch, where Fran Gercke directs a whirlwind of four hilarious Neil Simon play-lets under the auspices of "California Suite."  Taking place in rooms 203 and 204 of the luxurious Beverly Hills Hotel, "Suite" chronicles various couples as they visit from New York (Scene 1), Philadelphia (Scene 2), London (Scene 3), and Chicago (Scene 4).  While none of the scenes are related, the sextet of actors frequently does double duty to portray the five couples featured in the play's mixed bag of scenes that adroitly unfold over the course of two hours.

The six actors here - Susan Clausen Andrews, Teri Brown, Bernard X. Kopsho, Julie Anderson Sachs, Eddie Yaroch, and Brian Salmon - are all superb and incredibly funny in their over-the-top characterizations and off-the-wall actions.  In Scene 1, Sachs and Yaroch are particularly compelling as Hannah and William Warren, a divorced couple from New York who bicker and banter back and forth as they are forced to decide what living arrangements are best for their daughter Jenny.  Not only do these credible actors handle their difficult dialogue with ease, but they share a very crude chemistry that is both mind-numbing and heart-breaking to watch.  Contrast that with the slapstick antics of Scene 2, in which conservative middle-aged businessman Marvin Michaels (a panicked Kopsho) awakens to discover an unconscious prostitute in his bed with his wife Millie (a wholesome Andrews) on her way up to his suite.  It's a comedy of errors as Kopsho pulls out all the side-splitting, physically comedic stops in order to conceal all traces of his rather obvious indiscretion.

Teri Brown and Brian Salmon as visitors from London in Neil Simon's "California Suite."  Photo by Daren Scott.

The two scenes in Act Two are perhaps a bit less satisfying - and they drone on a bit too long - but they are still solidly acted and amusing enough as written.  Scene 3 gives us the pompous British actress Diana Nichols (played with aplomb by Brown) and her once-closeted husband Sidney (played with suave smoothness by Salmon) as they prepare to head out for the red carpet at the Academy Awards.  Nichols is understandably nervous about the evening, as she is a first time nominee for Best Actress and this accolade could re-energize her dormant acting career, but we see in a sort of post-awards epilogue how things actually turn out.  (I won't spoil it here, but let's just say it's not pretty.)  It all comes to a comedic head in Scene 4, as we meet two tennis-playing couples from Chicago - Mort and Beth Hollender (Kopsho and Sachs) and Stu and Gert Franklyn (Yaroch and Andrews) - as their mixed doubles match ends with more than just a broken ankle.  It's a menagerie of verbal repartee that rather slowly devolves into a match of bangings and bruisings as the scene goes out with more of a whimper than a bang.

As is to be expected from the always excellent Scripps Ranch Theatre, the technical aspects here are uniformly outstanding with a spiffy two-room hotel suite designed by Chad G. Dellinger, dramatically diverse lighting by Mitchell Simkovsky, and regionally appropriate costumes by Melissa Coleman-Reed.  Overall, the pacing of the production is zippy and zany (thanks to spry staging by Gercke) and it all comes together rather seamlessly in one fun and funny collection of playful play-lets.

Things to know before you go: Two by Pinter plays at North Coast Repertory Theatre through June 17, 2012.  Running time is 2 hours with one 15 minute intermission.  Performances are Wednesdays at 7pm, Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2pm and Sunday evenings at 7pm.  Tickets are $32-49 with discounts available for students and military.  For more information or to purchase tickets, call (858) 481-1055 or visit www.northcoastrep.org.

Things to know before you go: California Suite presented by Scripps Ranch Theatre plays at the Legler Benbough Theatre at Alliant International University through June 24, 2012.  Running time is 2 hours with one 15 minute intermission.  Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm.  Tickets are $25 with discounts available for students, seniors, and military.  For more information or to purchase tickets, call (858) 578-7728 or visit www.scrippsranchtheatre.org.

THEATRE REVIEW: "THIS" at North Coast Repertory Theatre

The Game of “This”

North Coast REP mines the heart and humanity in Melissa James Gibson’s candid examination of middle age

By Donnie Matsuda

Jane is lonely and vulnerable.

Tom and Marrell are unhappy in their marriage and overwhelmed and exhausted with the demands of their infant son.

Alan is ready to change his name, change his lifestyle, and change his career.

And Jean-Pierre is….well….French. And a doctor. Without borders.

And then there’s This, the witty and insightful play penned by playwright Melissa James Gibson, which unites all five of these utterly urbane thirtysomethings and follows them as they re-examine their lives, question the choices they’ve made along the way, and search for the sources of their present-day unhappiness. You could certainly call it a mish-mash of five mid-life crises and the play even describes their collective condition as “a sudden sense of urgency mixed with intense exhaustion,” but in the hands of its gifted Canadian playwright, This becomes much greater than the sum of all its delicate and dysfunctional parts.

(L to R) Andrew Ableson, Courtney Corey, and Judith Scott. Photo courtesy of Aaron Rumley.

Originally produced in 2009 at Playwrights Horizons in New York, This received mixed reviews following its Off-Broadway opening. Some critics accused the play of being too scattered in its fast-paced, fractured style of storytelling while others were disappointed with the lack of dimension in its somewhat overly stereotyped characters. While it is true that Gibson’s language is idiosyncratic and her cast tends to substitute pithy remarks for emotionally deep reactions, the play actually achieves a great deal of authenticity and affection in the capable hands of North Coast REP’s top notch creative team and stellar five member cast. Here, in its San Diego premiere, This tries incredibly hard (and mostly succeeds) in bringing the delicate state of middle age to the forefront of our collective consciousness.

With razor sharp wit and intellectual insight, Gibson has crafted a quirky quintet of self-absorbed urban discontents. We watch with equal parts pity and glee as four of the five contemporary New Yorkers grapple with their feelings and faults as middle age looms on the horizon. First, there’s Jane (a thoroughly natural and heartfelt Courtney Corey). She’s an emotionally complex character who hides her grief at her husband’s untimely death and has subsequently neglected herself, her career (“I’m an aMAZing standardized test proctor”), and her 10 year old daughter. Meanwhile, Tom and Marrell’s (a laid back Richard Baird balanced by a nagging Judith Scott) marriage is very clearly on the rocks as they constantly bicker about not getting enough sleep, not getting enough sex, and desperately wanting to see - and sleep with - other people. And then there is Alan (a delightfully droll Andrew Ableson), who fits the classic stereotype of the bitchy, flamboyant gay Jew. As he describes one of his many predicaments to his dear friend Jane, “Not a laughing matter Jane. Outfits are important when you can’t rely on other things. I mean you’re lucky You still have two or three years left when you can attract people By Looks Alone. Whereas I’m not that fortunate…I’ve always had to reel them in with my humor and intellect that together work to obscure my physical shortcomings and it’s Completely Exhausting.”

And last but certainly not least there is the debonair French Doctor without Borders, Jean-Pierre (a slick and suave Matt Thompson) who grounds the piece with his fetching accent and his visions for improving the life and health of Africans though nonviolent humanitarian missions. Interestingly, and probably intentionally, his global concerns put the petty mid-life quibbles of the other four into perspective. As we see him through the eyes of others (Marrell lusts “Someone should have sex with him I mean he’s Someone Who Should Be Slept With I mean he Should Not Be Left Unslept With” and Alan quips “He can’t be a Doctor Without Borders Without A Television. It’s too goddamned much.”), we soon realize that he’s in a different mindset - and not just working on a different continent - than the rest of the Upper West Side gang.

(L to R) Richard Baird, Courtney Corey, Matt Thompson, and Judith Scott. Photo courtesy of Aaron Rumley.

Through it all, director Kirsten Brandt has her finger firmly on the eclectic pulse of Gibson’s choppy writing and pushes the fragmented dialogue forward at a comfortable pace. She keenly balances the poetic puns (is their water filter a Britta or a Breeta?) with the more serious back-and-forth banter so that they weave together seamlessly to effect some compelling and comedic, yet ultimately confounding, truths.

The sleek and sophisticated set by Marty Burnett is not only impressive with its spinning turntable and multifunctional furniture, but it is also an accurate replica of a fully furnished New York apartment. Add to that Matt Novotny’s complex lighting grid, which shifts dramatically from bright group scenes to dimly-lit performance sequences, Alina Bokovikova’s trendy costumes, and Paul Peterson’s slick sound design, and you have the perfect backdrop for this contemporary, cutting comedy.

While we never get to the bottom of This – what the enigmatic title of the play refers to – it doesn’t really matter. That’s because This is about the very indefinable and indescribable experience of life itself and hence, it means something different to each one of us. Regardless of our life trajectory, our profession, or our age, we can all consider it an important wake up call to examine where we stand, what’s truly important to us, and how we plan to forge ahead through the hilarious and heartfelt game that we call "life."

Things to know before you go: This plays at North Coast Repertory Theatre through April 29, 2012. Running time is 1 hour and 45 minutes with no intermission. Performances are Wednesdays at 7pm, Thursdays – Saturdays at 8pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2pm and Sunday evenings at 7pm. Tickets are $32-$49 with discounts available for students and military. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (858) 481-1055 or visit www.northcoastrep.org.