43
‘Triangle’ engages TNT audience
By STEPHANIE OTTEY
NILES
If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if the cast of “The Golden Girls” got caught up in the sloppy scandals of “Jersey Shore,” wonder no more! Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna have authored a play to illustrate just one possible outcome of such a scenario, and it’s now playing at Trumbull New Theatre.
“Bermuda Avenue Triangle” opened Friday to a full and jovial crowd.
The show centers on two 60- to 70-something ladies who have just been dumped into a retirement village in Las Vegas. The depressed, Jewish Fannie, played by Susan MonteCalvo, and cantankerous, Catholic Tess, played by Crystal Niemi, despise getting old, resent their daughters,and can’t find satisfaction anywhere. Upon an invitation from welcome committee head Rabbi Levine (Curtiss E. Barron), the two reluctantly go on a group outing. On the outing, they get lost, get mugged, and get saved by a strange drunk. This stranger by the name of Johnny (Tim McGinley) secretly seduces both ladies and turns their frowns upside down. Of course, as in any good love triangle, the ladies eventually discover that they both have fallen for the same man. They fight, blame, curse, and catfight until they come to a surprising resolution.
“Bermuda Avenue Triangle” should certainly be rated “M” for Mature audiences only. With a script full of saucy jokes, this production isn’t exactly kid-friendly. While there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that anybody would find humor in (e.g.. Tess keeping the rabbi at bay with her crucifix), the general themes of retirement (what’s that?) and aging are more appreciated by anyone going through the life change.
Taylor and Bologna’s script tries for a few heartwarming moments, but the kinky jokes far outweigh the tender moments, turning them into roadblocks that slow down what would otherwise be a strictly hysterical show.
The pace of the show is unique. The story and the situations of the show beg to be chaotic and farcical, but due to the age of the characters, such chaos would be unbelievable and forced. Thus, “Bermuda Avenue Triangle” has a slower pace than most comedies. There are pauses between lines that subdue the energy on stage.
The cast does an excellent job of keeping the audience engaged.
With stage veterans such as Tim McGinley, Crystal Niemi, and Susan MonteCalvo forming the “Menage”, director Bennet really lucked out. Niemi and MonteCalvo use their vocal strength and physical strength as performers to age themselves appropriately. McGinley masters the comedic timing of “Johnny” and throws in a few well-placed mugs that make him an audience favorite.
Barron creates a charmingly awkward Rabbi Levine, who leaves the audience wanting more. He elicits a chuckle merely by walking onto the stage. Margie M. Johnson commands the stage well, and kudos go to Carol Opatken Chepke for making her theatrical debut in such a bold show.
There’s a lot to love about “Bermuda Avenue Triangle,” especially if you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Sophia and Blanche hooked up with a more mature version of “The Situation” in Vegas. (And really, who hasn’t?)