RICH AND FAMOUS by John Guare

RICH AND FAMOUS by John Guare. Directed by John Rando. American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) 415 Geary Street, San Francisco, 415.749.2228, or at www.act-sf.org.

January 14 through February 8, 2009.

Aphro (Gregory Wallace) gives Bing (Brooks Ashmanskas) a note he received from an audience member during the opening night performance of Bing's first produced play

ANOTHER 90 MINUTE WINNER BY JOHN GUARE

Actually Rich and Famous runs about 95 minutes, without intermission, but there is one five minute interlude that could be excluded leaving a hilarious, wild quirky 90 minutes of thought provoking laughter mingled with outrageous physical comedy to delight all (most?), even though there was not the usual standing ovation by the opening night audience.

John Guare first received national acclaim for his hysterical comedy “The House of Blue Leaves” in 1986 that won four Tony awards and was blessed with a superb cast that included Swoosie Kurtz, John Mahoney, Stockard Channing, Danny Aiello, Ben Stiller, and Julie Hagerty. Greater success and fame came his way with “Six Degrees of Separation” which is still widely produced and made into a movie. Rich and Famous was written and produced in 1974 at Joseph Papp’s Public Theater and had a revival in 1980. For this A.C.T. production, Guare, known as the “king of re-writes”, did a major rewrite and included songs that he himself wrote.

In this delicious romp, Guare suggest that playwriting is not the ideal road to fame and fortune. Consider the protagonist Bing Ringling (Brooks Ashmanskas) a struggling playwright who is hoping play number 844, the semi-autobiographical Etruscan Conundrum will make him rich and famous. Alas, the show is opening in a 99 seat, off-off-off Broadway venue with an inept cast of Leanara (Mary Birdsong) and Aphro (Gregory Wallace). Producer Veronica Gulpp-Vestige (Birdsong again) is sure the play will be flop and Bing will keep writing/producing flops. Then she, who has every honor known in the theater except as the “greatest come-back” producer, can reach that star. The show is an absolute disaster and rather than receiving reviews, it receives “obituaries.”

Bing, through a very circuitous route, receives a note from movie icon Tybalt Dunleavy (Stephen DeRosa), a former high school chum, who has huge larger than life facial photos on billboards all over New York City. If he could convince Tybalt to be the lead in his play, success would be assured. When Aphro (not the hair-do Afro) discovers this, he returns to his day-night time job as a hooker who plies his trade at the mouth of the Holland Tunnel. Veronica arrives with a cape, made of all the terrible newspaper reviews dragging behind her, and in an unbelievable scene disappears into a garbage can.

Disconsolate Bing seeks solace with his musical collaborator the mad Anathol Torah (DeRosa again). This fabulous-monstrous pink bedroom apartment rolls out from stage center complete with tiny piano and huge drums and the props that would drive a stage manager to drink. Then Bing goes to an art gallery to decompress, encountering sweet Allison (Birdsong again), a former love (sex) interest from his hometown. She ends up in the huge painting of the Hudson River while her angry husband shouts from the wings. Bing declines to join her in the painting.

Where to go next? Home, of course, (Note: the 5 minute scene mentioned above probably is obligatory allowing the stagehands time to wheel out the balky next set) and what a set. Anatole’s pink apartment is replaced by the homey- home, with unbelievable props, of Bing’s doting Mom (Birdsong again) and Dad (DeRosa again). You must see it and hear the dialog to appreciate the effect on the audience.

The penultimate scene with Tybalt Dunleavy (DeRosa again) and Bing on a scaffold in front of the billboard with Tybalt’s face in the background is a gem of stagecraft as well as a scathing philosophical put-down of fame and fortune. The final scene as the four actors wordlessly mirror each other’s action is a fitting quiet end that is jarred as they try to remove their R (for Rich) and F (for Famous) cufflinks that appeared in the first scene.

The evening is a truly great ensemble performance as each invests their various characters with individualistic traits. Ashmanskas’ performance would make Nathan Lane envious. Birdsong’s change from dumb, horny actress, to old vicious Veronica, to wholesome Allison and doting mother is of star quality. DeRosa’s persona as Anatol Torah alone deserves accolades, but then he goes on to become Dad and Tybalt with equal aplomb. Last, but not least, local actor Gregory Wallace is a jewel in his role that almost steals the show. He certainly steals the stage even in the presence of the other superb actors.

Scott Bradley’s set(s) is stunning, defies description and must be seen. John Rando directs with a sure had, keeping the pacing and interaction in sync. It will not make you forget House of Blue Leaves and Six Degrees of Separation but you will have a great evening of fun.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

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