By Steve Odenthal
Director Brian Wood’s cast brings just the right amount of emotional baggage with them while checking into the Plaza Suite hotel in the Heritage Community Theatre’s version of Neil Simon’s popular comedy. We are on a wild ride of emotion and fun as room 719 plays host to three separate vignettes of “couplehood”–relationships unfold and sometimes unravel before us. One constant in any Neil Simon offering is strict attention to the detail of his recollections, from how the set meets his design vision to how precisely his word-play is delivered. He prides his plays on giving the exact setting and circumstance but builds his dialog to give each actor some elbow room. Wood and his cast get this. They bring to us a very world-aware piece that is sensitive to the fact that a mid-life crisis, an extra-marital affair, a flirtation with celebrity, or a mirror held to a neglected relationship can have a shattering effect and should never be taken lightly.
You are probably asking now, “I thought this was a comedy.” And, yes it is—but like many of Simon’s nuanced plays, a laugh could be retrieved on almost every line, but instead Wood takes his audience through a deliberate build of emotion and releases it in gentle waves throughout the night. The evening builds nicely, and even sweetly, to a crescendo as Norma Hubley (Raina Jones) and Roy Hubley (Wood), a weathered and weary couple attempt to marry off the apple of their eye, Mimsey Hubley (Aubrey Dickey) in what likely will be the crowd’s favorite and most remembered scene. Wood brings a frustrated father-of-the-bride to new heights as he is on the wrong wave-length communicating with his daughterMimsey, because she has locked herself away from the world (and her own wedding). In the course of their efforts to protect their investment in the day and event, the Hubleys come face to face with their own lack of investment in each other. While Dickey is radiant in her white attire and a bit sparing in her dialogue, and Wood captures full color of face in his sea of emotion, for me the delight of this third vignette was the crusty sweetness of Jones as her character slowly discovers her current role in both her husband and daughter’s life. Something in Jones’ portrayal made me optimistic about the future for these three.
This production starts with an almost-too-sweet setup as Karen Nash (Melissa Jones) brings us into the Plaza Suite’s room 719—a place of enchanted memories for the now 47ish-year-old wife and mother. After 23 years of marriage she wants—make that needs—everything to be perfect, as it once was with her husband, Sam. As Jones clomps awkwardly through the room to inspect that it is the same and exact, her empty-handed Bellhop (Allan Jawaad) takes the occasion to ensure his service is not forgotten and that he is available for tipping at any time. Jawaad performs a few comic-relief purposes in each of his roles and is noticed each time but keeps his reserve nicely. Jones keeps any quiet moment at bay as she readies for what she hopes will be a re-kindling at the least or at best a united new direction with Sam Nash (Wood), her marital partner for these 23 years. The Nash’s voyage is to be a rocky one filled with fevered intensity and tepid calm throughout their evening together. The two face the quandary of their relationship status as Sam’s secretary Miss McCormick (Dickey) brings a late work assignment and not-so-coded message into the mix. Dickey plays the home-wrecker role subtly with cool efficiency as her character believes that all innuendo is flying above the wife’s head. Not so, however. In the handling of this scene an active choice is made to not approach every opportunity for a payoff, but rather to space out the laughs and give some serious consideration to the life-altering situation they face. These two actors play off of each other well.
Perhaps the surprise of the evening for me was the handling of the second vignette. I expected the script as I have seen it before, but what I got was not quite the same. In a pleasant turn, I believed the innocence of both characters involved in this brush with celebrity. The dialogue is exactly the same as I have seen before, (and of course as Simon would insist) but these two actors (Timothy Coral Mair and Meg Clawson) bring an awkward sweetness to each of their roles. I have never really bought into the poor small-town boy grown into the Hollywood big-timer in other productions. I believed Jesse Kiplinger as portrayed by Mair is wholly invested in the one that got away. And in this day of Weinstein-style exposures, my suspicious crust is a little extra thick, so well done, Tim Mair. But it takes two to tango and Clawson brings the rose. Hers is a tight-rope walking act that the actress handles as though small-town values are at war with big-city adulation—something has to give. I’m sorry, I compared her arc in this play to a tightrope walk, but it is more than that, it seems that someone is throwing her kittens to juggle as she maneuvers. Clawson handles her role in a manner I have not seen before. I believe it has to do with the pairing of herself and Mair, certainly an excellent choice by the director. Neil Simon may not remember it this way, but in my heart, I think the kittens are safe this time.
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There are a lot of reasons to be wary of Plaza Suite in a small community theatre production. If done incorrectly, it can seem to endorse troublesome issues in and outside of marriage. If done properly, as it is done here, it can lead to a lot of laughter without ever minimizing the seriousness of the underlying issues that dig deep into a relationship. I appreciate the sensitivity the cast uses as I watched Plaza Suite unfold before me. I appreciate the chance to discuss those topics with many at the conclusion of the evening. This play, this production at the Heritage Community Theatre in Perry, Utah has heart. And we all need more of that. Why not find a seat this opening weekend?
The Heritage Community Theatre presents Plaza Suite by Neil Simon
The Heritage Community Theatre, 2505 South Highway 89, Perry, Utah 84302
April 20-May 12 Monday, Friday, Saturday 7:30 PM
Tickets: $10, $12
Contact: 435-723-8392
Heritage Community Theatre Facebook Page
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