Act Naturally is a funny, if self-indulgent and esoteric, almost-one-man-show. With
an endearing, energetic ensemble, Act Naturally entertains even if the
material would have been served better with a little more structure and a
little less length.
The
plot of Act Naturally follows the stream of consciousness ramblings of
its star, Arthur (Scott Katzman, who also wrote the piece). The premise is that
Arthur will receive his Equity card if he manages to stay on stage for ninety
minutes, covering a one man show. Unfortunately, he was offered the job as
understudy that day, and doesn’t know the show at all. Instead, the stage
manager encourages him to just talk. What follows is basically a therapy
session in which Arthur vents about most of the realities one encounters in the
business. He delves into his frustrations with acting lessons, agents, day
jobs, and even relationships.
Basically,
there are some really funny situations and moments in the show, but unfortunately,
most of these situations will only resonate with people in the business. Additionally,
there is very little that is unique about the frustrations and themes of the
show. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it is a limitation. Further, the
show is too long for what it is and meanders in a few places. What ends up being
the more important strands of plot should be set up better from the beginning.
With some fine-tuning and excising the superfluities, the show would feasibly
work much better.
That’s
not to say there weren’t many good things in the show. The strongest asset the
production has is its cast. Katzman is quite likeable as the struggling actor
in desperate desire of his Equity card. The other six actors in the ensemble
got to showcase themselves in a myriad of roles. All six were versatile and vivacious,
and also hilarious at times. The standout performer was Tracee Chimo. Every single role she played had a distinct, quirky
personality. She made roles that could’ve been cliché, uniquely comical.
Director
Christopher Maring used the intimate stage well; it never felt cramped. The
pacing could have been picked up a bit, but the real solution would be, as
mentioned above, to cut out twenty minutes. David Behringer’s set was minimal but functional (just two chairs).
Paulette Keck’s practical costumes
were mostly black with some modifications for various eccentric characters. Melanie Smock’s lighting design allowed
the show to be seen without problem. Nick
Viselli’s sound design was clear and punctual.
Thus,
Act Naturally is an amusing, if a little self-pitying, play. Arthur
sorts through his baggage and is able to reaffirm his dream to be an actor,
with an Equity card as his prize. Sadly, though, those in the business know
that even with an Equity card, it is still like swimming upstream naked and without
a paddle. But all those new woes will be fodder for the sequel.
Writing: 1
Directing: 1
Acting: 2
Sets: 1
Costumes: 1
Lighting/Sound: 1
Copyright 2007 Seth Bisen-Hersh
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