A Utah Theater Review by Ben Christensen and BJ Wright
The title character of Around the Globe Theater Company’s Bob Juan Casanova is anything but a Casanova. Bob is an actor and writer who has had pretty rotten luck in the romance department. Even this play he’s putting on about his love life is going wrong, with the actresses refusing to kiss him unless it’s scripted, an actor forgetting to show up, and an audience member constantly interrupting him. So when he ironically names himself “Bob Juan Casanova of Salt Lake City,” he’s setting the tone for a play full of both heartbreak and humor.
Bob Juan Casanova is not a conventional play. Some audience members may find the format off-putting at first, with actors breaking the fourth wall continually and with monologues interrupting the narrative flow. Despite the unconventional format, the play succeeds in drawing the audience in and making us care about the characters. Although the ending feels a little abrupt and somewhat contrived, the play as a whole does a great job of portraying the roller coaster of emotions that romantic relationships can be.
JayC Stoddard carries the show as Bob, the main character and narrator. Stoddard brings a wide range of levels to his performance, from excited to devastated, from hopelessly in love to simply hopeless. He transitions seamlessly from chatting with the audience to being in scene. Jennifer Hamilton (Bianca) and Lindsay Marriott (Rowena/Tracy/Sierra) stand out with their strong performances. Hamilton’s Bianca comes across first as a somewhat shallow young girl, trotting playfully across the stage, but as her story unfolds the character reveals more and more complexity; Hamilton sells this transformation masterfully. Marriott has a similar challenge, portraying three different characters—first a sex-starved business owner, then a high school senior from Atlanta, then a British movie star—and she is believable and charming in each role. Rachyl Bonell (Cute Girl in the Audience) sometimes suffers from overly-rehearsed sounding lines, but generally her sense of timing is good and she makes her character likeable. Alice Gonzalez (First Date/Fan Girl/Valerie/Kelmarie) comes across a little awkward at times, but she also delivers some of the funniest lines of the show, especially in her role as a Puerto Rican student with a humorously strong accent.
Midvale Main Street Theatre’s stage is small, which works well for this intimate production. The set is simple—just a couch, a coffee table, and two boxes. Throughout the play this serves as Bob’s apartment, a car, a movie theater, whatever the script demands. The only time this doesn’t quite work is a moment when two of the characters are supposed to be getting out of a car and they both just stand up from the couch and walk off, rather than each getting out through the “car door.” This briefly pulls us out of the moment, reminding us that we’re watching a play. Other times when the actors intentionally break the fourth wall to remind us we are watching a play, it works. Lighting is used well, brightening and dimming and switching to spotlight when appropriate. At times the light and sound technician, Garrett Fairbourn, almost becomes a character in the play, such as when Bob calls out, “Garrett, please dim the lights now.”
The promotional material for Bob Juan Casanova warns that the play is for mature audiences; parents should take this warning seriously. Although not over-the-top, there is some vulgar language and frank discussion of sexuality. There’s also plenty of kissing and (fully-clothed) sexual situations. If you are interested in a mature, thought-provoking play about love and relationships, then you should head over to Midvale Main Street to see Around the Globe Theatre Company’s production of Bob Juan Casanova.
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This was a fun evening spent watching a entertaining play about a guy who just couldn’t seem to get a break and get the relationship he thought he wanted from the various women in his life. Goes to show you that finding that happy ending isn’t any easier for the guys than it is for us girls! Jay C Stoddard took us on a trip that included wanting to smack him for being so superficial to wanting to cry out with his pain or sing out with his joy! All of his beautiful female costars did great jobs winding their ways into and, just as often, out of his life! Breaking through the fourth wall involved the audience into the here and now (or was that the then and past) of his current situation. We got so caught up in his interaction with The Girl in the Audience that there were times that I wanted to interject my own “lines”! I had I good time…. I hope they play to a good audience EVERY night!