beau-jest.jpgby Vicki Paris Goodman
Arts & Entertainment Editor
First, may I alert you to the spelling–Beau Jest, not Beau Geste as in the adventure novel about life in the French Foreign Legion. In fact the clever title turns out to be quite apt and itself worthy of a few chuckles.
Playhouse veteran director Elaine Herman directs this enchanting comedy all about boyfriends and controlling parents and good-girl daughters who can’t seem to self-actualize and fully grow up. I can relate, especially since playwright James Sherman focuses his play on a young Jewish woman and her clichéd Jewish family.
If Sarah Goldman’s (Debra Wade) efforts to conceal her gentile boyfriend Chris (Rob Kerr) from her parents by hiring a stand-in (David Tracq) from an escort service aren’t enough to shock our sensibilities, then surely the play’s stereotypical reformed Jewish Passover scene is enough to tickle them.
When Sarah’s dad Abe (Manny Siegall) attempted to rush through the Passover Haggadah to get to the gefilte fish already, I thought for a moment that I was at my own family’s seder, or that of our close friends, the Friedmans. It doesn’t matter; these evenings are all the same. A veritable tug-o’-war pits the shameful who just want to eat against the ceremony purists who intend to skip no steps. Boy, did playwright Sherman ever get it right.
Wade has been adorable in everything I’ve seen her in, and this is no exception. Don’t get me wrong. You want to strangle her character for her way-over-the-top allegiance to her parents, but she is earnest and fun and perfect for this role.
Escort Bob, renamed David for Sarah’s charade, and introduced to the family as no less than a doctor (of course), rises admirably to the occasion. A sometime actor, he draws on his past experience in a production of Fiddler on the Roof to win over Sarah’s family with his “knowledge” of Jewish prayer. He handles the family’s medical questions a bit precariously but apparently well enough. The family winds up adoring him. The thing is, so does Sarah.
Sarah’s mother Miriam (Ruth Siegall) whines her way through every family get-together, always judging, and never failing to remind Sarah to heat the kugle in the oven and not the microwave. (What happened here? My mom always insists I use the microwave–“it’s so much easier and doesn’t heat up the house” –whatever.)
Brother Joel (Tony Cicchetti), a therapist by occupation, senses something is amiss and attempts to help. Portraying the only truly serious character, Cicchetti gives an excellent performance that goes a long way toward keeping the play from becoming too farcical.
All of the relationships are perfectly executed in this entertaining production. Sarah and Chris come across like oil and water–they just don’t belong together. We see it clearly, even if they don’t. In contrast, Sarah and “David” are an obvious match from the start.
There is a big problem, though. “David” is not Jewish. So Sarah finds herself in the same situation that she started with. Uh oh.
Come see how it all turns out. At the very least, you’ll laugh out loud during the family dinner scenes in which the actors Siegall will remind you of every older Jewish couple you’ve ever known. What is even more probable is that you will adore the romance, suspense and nuttiness of this beautifully written and well presented comedy.
Beau Jest continues at the Long Beach Playhouse Studio Theatre through August 18. General admission tickets are $22; $20 for seniors. Student tickets are $12 with valid student ID and are available for Friday and Saturday performances. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m, with Sunday matinees on July 22, August 5 and 12 at 2 p.m.
Call (562) 494-1014 for reservations and information. Tickets are also available online at www.lbph.com.
