The plot flickers

 

Have You Seen This Man? …The Mel Grovero Project

 

Written & Directed by Brandon Kalbaugh

Non-union production (closed)

Two Spoons Theatre Company

(www.onoffoff.com/companyBook.xzc?PK=983)

The Producers Club Royal Theatre

358 W. 44th St. (between 8th & 9th Aves.)

Review by Seth Bisen-Hersh

 

Have You Seen This Man? …The Mel Grovero Project  is hit and miss.  Some parts are really funny; other parts are meandering.  The overall point is admirable, but it could be made more quickly and clearly.

 

The show has no plot.  There is a frame of people searching desperately for a light.  Then, there are vignettes following a struggling actor, Billy, who never appears on stage.  The point of the show is to make your own light, and be true to oneself; however, this point is  muddied by the lack of structure and length of some of the segments.

 

And yet, there are very comical moments.  Some of the truisms hit upon are hilariously right on the nose; for example, a scene with a sketchy broker, scenes depicting possible Craigslist apartment ads, and acting seminars that basically contradict themselves in the advice given.

 

The cast is universally funny.  It is a shame that the actors in the frame structure (Josh Carpenter, Brooke Chirone and Salim Rahman) are underused, but when they are used, they are endearing.  The other three (Cinda Lawrence, Joe MacDougall and Brady Ovson) have the opportunity to showcase their dynamic ranges energetically.

 

Brandon Kalbaugh keeps the pace moving; the transitions between scenes are well polished, even if some of the scenes seem superfluous or superfluously long.  In her set design, Angie Dix is nicely able to create many different locations from very little. 

 

There are definitely some funny moments in Have You Seen This Man? …The Mel Grovero Project , but overall the show is too long.  There is potential, however, if the show were trimmed down and better structured to make a valid point about how to stay sane while following one’s dreams.

           

Box Score:

Writing: 1
Directing: 1
Acting: 1
Set: 1
Costumes: 1
Lighting/Sound: 1

Copyright 2006 Seth Bisen-Hersh

 

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