By Janet Mitchell
Neil Simon is a prolific playwright of comedies — touching comedies, crazy comedies and even truly silly comedies. He also penned a rather clever farce called “Rumors.” The West Allis Players opened this comedy on April 22 and has done a fine job. Mary Beth Topf directs this fast-moving romp.
The series of hilarious confusions and light-hearted comedy ensues after couples are invited to the house of the deputy mayor of New York City to celebrate their friends’ 10th wedding anniversary. As the show opens, we see that something has gone terribly wrong. The first couple to arrive finds the husband, Charley, incoherent with a bullet hole in his ear and the wife, Myra, nowhere to be found. The servants are gone with all the food left uncooked in the kitchen. As more couples arrive, they become co-conspirators in an attempt to get at the truth of the shooting while protecting Charley and Glenn, a guest who is running for the state senate. Rumors of possible love affairs and a car crash complicate everything. Once two police officers arrive it appears the jig is up – or is it?
Cory Klein (Ernie), Angela Wills (Claire), Scott Fudali (Lenny), Colleen Hart (Cookie) and Tanya Tranberg (Chris), from left, in a scene from West Allis Central’s “Rumors.” Photo by Kimberly Fudali
This ensemble piece works very well, for the most part, with a talented cast. (Two standouts are Tom Flanagan as police officer Welch and Scott Fudali as Lenny, who delivers an outrageous explanation/monologue for all that has happened.) The energy remains high, and these actors keep up the pace nicely. As with many farces, however, reactions must be exaggerated, and this sometimes results in female voices going so high as to be lost up in the rafters and harder to understand.
Just a warning: Simon uses some rough language which does fit the characters’ reactions to this unbelievable evening.
The West Allis Players are using a different venue than usual for “Rumors” — this show is being presented at Nathan Hale Auditorium on 117th and Lincoln. The preshow announcement says the group will return to Central Auditorium for their summer musical, “1776.”
“Rumors” runs through a matinee on May 1. Tickets can be purchased at the door.