Be prepared to laugh and gasp at “The House of Blue Leaves,” John Guare’s dark, disturbing comedy that opened Jan. 6 at Live Theatre Workshop.
“The House of Blue Leaves” is set in the Sunnyside, Queens, apartment of Artie and Bananas Shaughnessy, played by Keith Wick and Avis Judd. It’s the frigid October day in 1965 when throngs of people crammed New York streets in hopes of catching a glimpse of Pope Paul VI on his route to deliver a message of peace to the United Nations.
The play’s unexpected plot twists and Guare’s lyrical language explore and expose topics as relevant today as they were when the play premiered in 1971: The pursuit of fame and celebrity, perceptions of success and self, and the treatment of those with mental illness and disabilities.
Artie is a zookeeper who wants to move to Hollywood and become a famous songwriter. He’s encouraged by his girlfriend of two months, Bunny (Shanna Brock), a fabulous cook who won’t even boil an egg for Artie until they are married. He seeks the help of childhood friend, Billy (Bob Kovitz), who is now a movie big shot. To turn his dream into reality, Artie plans to send his mentally ill wife to an institution.
Zaniness, mixups and screwups ensue as Artie, Bananas and Bunny seek the pope’s blessing and healing. Artie’s and Bananas’ son Ronnie (Taylor Rascher), who is AWOL from the military and has an explosive surprise, a trio of nuns (Bree Boyd, Pat Timm and Emily Gates) seeking a better view of the pope, and Billy’s movie-star girlfriend Corinna Stroller (Janet Roby) who has a significant hearing loss, all end up in the apartment.
All of the actors, even those with tiny, supporting roles, give a comedic albeit cutting bite to their characters.
Judd’s wide, expressive blue eyes, downtrodden posture and matronly, monochromatic bathrobe project Bananas’ sense of fear and confusion. Judd’s portrayal of a woman obsessed with her uneven fingernails and being a dog is both funny and terrifying.
Contrasted to Judd’s dowdiness, Brock, in colorful plastic go-go boots, a bright, tight dress and heavy blue eye shadow, is energetic and passionate as she pushes to have Bananas shipped off so she and Artie can begin a new life in sunny California. Brock never loses her decidedly Queens accent.
Wick excels as hapless Artie, who wants a different life and a dish or two of Bunny’s excellent cooking. Wick sings Artie’s goofy, nonsensical lyrics with an appropriately flat voice.
Rascher’s man-on-the-edge portrayal of Ronnie is bone-chilling, and Kovitz maintains a sophisticated, albeit sobbing, presence.
Live Theatre is an intimate thrust theater with a rectangular stage about 18-feet wide surrounded on three sides by about 90 raked seats. It is a relatively small stage.
Place a piano, a fat television, a two-person sofa, a footstool and an 11-member large cast on the stage and chaos could result. However, director Roberto Guajardo kept the movement flowing, the antics rolling and the story advancing.
Guajardo also added a few creative touches that added to the play’s impact. For example, the play has a cold opening with Artie singing at a bar’s amateur night. The director placed a loud, chattering foursome on the stage, which amps up Artie’s frustration.
“The House of Blue Leaves” is a well-acted, memorable, thoughtful piece that will make you laugh and question — exactly what a dark comedy should do.
