(lastagetimes.com)
The Fisherman’s Wife is playing at Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA’s Speakeasy through mid-December. (http://www.ensemblestudiotheatrela.org/boxoffice.html#Fishermans)
You should go see it.
This delightful farce is being labelled by some as experimental. Not so. It’s almost too big-hearted to be seen as classic farce. Its deconstruction of sexual pleasure is wonderfully cruel and physical. You have to love a play that features ocean water, semen and an exceptionally well executed incident of projectile vomiting. Simulated not real friends, the NEA four days are long gone.
Beautifully directed by Gates McFadden with help from assistant director, my former student Oren Peleg, the play incorporates puppetry and a low budget but terrific mise en scene. It’s smart, inventive and mercifully pithy. Its intermission features an engaging duet from cast members Kim Chueh and Gary Parent who sing and respectively play the ukelele and clarinet. Every time I see Chueh, she keeps getting better.
Patrick Flanagan captivates with a sly, understated performance. He demonstrates again if we need it, the power of great body and voice training.
Kudos to all.
