By Cindy Whitehair
It’s July–at part of the summer when people get bored – it’s hot, you’ve already been to Lagoon, Seven Peaks and Cowabunga Bay a couple of times, so what’s next? Well, ask that question of a handful of talented actors, give them 10 days and you could end up with Titus Productions’ Rumors by Neil Simon. Rumors is a farcical tale of a dinner party where nothing goes as planned.
Director Jake Andersen put this show together in 10 days – a feat in its own right. The blocking was complex and well planned out, with complex stage pictures that belie the short time frame the show was put together in.
Lately, the trend in theater seems to have been to really emphasize tech and the big razzle dazzle. The set for Rumors was minimalist, and that minimalism really allowed the actors to be the focus of the stage. The costumes were fantastic and were all provided by the cast.
The show opens on Ken Gorman (Michael Thrall) and his wife Chris (Rebecca Waite) in the living room of New York City Deputy Mayor Charlie Brock. It’s the Brock’s 10th anniversary party and Mrs. Brock is missing and Mr. Brock is upstairs in the bedroom with a gunshot wound to the ear. As the other guests arrive, the rumors swirl about why their hosts are missing. What starts off as a well-meaning attempt to save a good friend from embarrassment turns into a difficult to maintain fable. Each couple that arrives (Jennica Galloway and Jake Andersen as Claire and Lenny Ganz, Quinn Nielsen and Rebecca Walk as Ernie and Cookie Cusack and Stephen Chucay and Sasha Nutger as Glenn and Cassie Cooper) have their own issues that seep into the events of the night to hilarious ends.
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The actors were all fantastic in their own ways. Jake Andersen’s physicality (how many times can one man throw himself to the floor without injury?), Jennica Henderson’s body language throughout the show, Michael Thrall’s ability to command your attention whenever he stepped on stage, Rebecca Waite’s characters confused innocence, Quinn Nielsen’s overly gooey devotion to his wife, the ditzy innocence that Rebecca Walk gave her character and the combativeness of a married couple coming apart for Chucay and Nutger. And one simply cannot forget to mention JoAnn Galloway (Officer Welch) and Marie Nutger as Officer Pudney. These two are not on stage long, but when they are Galloway commanded the audience’s attention, while Nutger stole it away with looks and glances. All the way around, the comic timing was spectacular, which is hard to do with a cast this size.
There is strong language in this show—and this is not a typical Utah theater production where offensive language is rewritten to fit Mormon sensibilities. Due to copyright laws, Mr. Simon refuses to allow any language to be cut or altered from the play. So if strong language bothers you, take a Valium before you see the show (you’ll get the joke after you see it) but go anyway. This show is slapstick physical comedy at its best and you will be missing out on a theatrical treat if you don’t see it.
Rumors by Neil Simon performs THIS Thursday, Friday and Saturday July 9, 10, and 11 at 7:00pm at the Northwest Community Center downtown Salt Lake 1255 Clark Ave. (300 North and 1255 west). Tickets are $10 and available at the door. Tickets are only available at the door and are cash only.
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