Theater Review

Tom Titus

The creative types who compose Costa Mesa’s New Voices Playwrights

Workshop enjoy writing one-act plays to fit a particular theme, like

holidays or the beach. But they seem to have taken a particular delight

in building new comic and dramatic works around their latest theme.

The evening’s title is “The Bed Plays,” which means that nine original

pieces of short theater have been composed around this one central piece

of furniture. And, for the most part, the program is a rapacious, ribald

romp at the Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse.

There are a couple of serious pieces among “The Bed Plays,” but the

general tone of the production is Hefnerian, to say the least. And the

theme also produces some of the tightest, most fully realized scripts yet

offered as part of a New Voices project.

The show gets off to a wild and wacky start with Jordan Young’s “To

Grandmother’s House We Go,” in which a horny old granny (Cheryl Etzel)

puts the make on her granddaughter’s husband (David Amitin) only to have

his wife (Tracy Perdue) walk in on the proceedings. Young, who also

directed, keeps the pace fast and furious with Amitin’s frantic dashes

around the room -- with his trousers around his ankles -- particularly

laugh-inducing.

John Bolen’s “Goodnight Joe,” the second offering, tones things down --

probably a little too much -- with its “Rain Man”-like plot focusing on

two brothers, one obviously retarded, following their mother’s funeral.

Directed by Lynne Bolen, the playlet never really achieves much of a

resolution, but offers intriguing performances by Peter D’Alessio as the

patient brother and Eric Pina as his childlike sibling.

Leave it to New Voices to plant the most physically alluring actress in a

nonerotic, bed-themed situation. “Dance,” written and directed by

Christopher Trela, is a one-woman show in which an aging dancer ponders

her future out of the spotlight -- a terrific performance by Della Lisi.

“Borderline,” by John Lane, brings the mood back to the farcical -- in

fact borrowing from Joe Orton’s “What the Butler Saw” -- in its sendup of

hospital bedside manners. Leslie Williams is superb as a put-upon patient

of a demented doctor (Amitin) and a pair of ditsy nurses, both played by

Karen Clarke. Scott Samson directs with a flair for articulate frenzy.

Fairy tales get the satirical treatment in Gina Shaffer’s “Splitting

Ends,” directed by Sara St. James. Here Sleeping Beauty (Theresa Reid) is

awakened by a huntsman (Sean O’Donnell) not intent on following the

script of the fable. There’s some really inventive stuff in this one.

“The Fireman” by Jack Stanley, directed by Amber Jackson, contains a

surprise which won’t be revealed here concerning two newlyweds and the

husband’s occupation, which initially revulses and eventually intrigues

his bride. Sean-Patrick Gallagher and Tiina Wiles turn in lively,

provocative performances.

In Tom Swimm’s simply titled “Bed,” O’Donnell returns as a single guy

whose hedonistic lifestyle is bothersome to his bed (voiced by Clarke),

which elects to chide him verbally over it. St. James also stages this

piece, which features a wildly energetic and highly hilarious performance

from O’Donnell.

Amitin is back for a third endeavor in “God’s Upstairs” by Alex Dorman

and Richard Freedman, directed by Jackson. He puts on an effective

one-man show in his monologue with the Almighty, who occupies the room

one floor above his -- and gets in the last word with aplomb.

Closing out the program is Michael Buss’ clever allegorical satire

“Uneasy Lies the Head.” It’s all about the highest and best use of beds,

with Williams representing restful slumber, a whip-wielding Wiles

advocating sexual athleticism and Amitin impersonating the Grim Reaper --

with all three conducting a hot and heavy argument before Jackson (who

also directs) settles it once and for all.

All nine plays are geared to grab and hold the audience’s attention, with

“Grandmother’s House,” “Dance,” “The Fireman” and “Uneasy” accomplishing

this task most effectively. We’ll miss New Voices if the group succeeds

in its plans to relocate to Santa Ana.

CUTLINE: Della Lisi plays an aging dancer contemplating life after a

career in “The Bed Plays” by New Voices Playwrights Workshop at the Costa

Mesa Civic Playhouse.

* WHAT: “The Bed Plays” by New Voices Playwrights Workshop

* WHERE: Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse, 611 Hamilton St., Costa Mesa

* WHEN: Closing performances at 2 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

* HOW MUCH: $10 and $12

* PHONE: (949) 225-4125