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Regional Reviews: St. Louis Reality Also see Richard's review of Eat Your Heart Out
In this world premiere of Lea Romeo's great, giddy new play, we get a quartet of clever people maneuvering for advantage in Hollywood, for fame and fortune. The highly respected Annamaria Pileggi directs an outstanding cast of soap-opera beauties (who are less than they seem) and all-American types (with a few surprises, to even-up the odds). And every one of them goes flying off in different directions, in pursuit of happiness—or, at least, of "fame and fortune." Equally important, however, is that HotCity Theatre is about to close its doors after a very successful 10-year run of challenging newer plays. There are other, smaller, similarly forward-looking companies left to help fill the gap in St. Louis, but it may be years before any of them can pack the style and confidence of this group. The announcement of the impending closure was our local theater community's latest 100 mph crash into the realities that every theatre must eventually face. But you still have this one last chance to experience the genuine magic of HotCity. When you come in, the set reveals a TV monitor mounted over the vaguely fake-looking living room set. The screen shows live video feed of what we're already seeing before us: reminding us at every moment of how everything will look on television—or, in this particular case, how everything will look on an imaginary TV show called "Looking For Love." An exposed prop table and stage manager just off-left also remind us that we're watching a play. About a TV show. About "Love." The results are very funny and fast paced. Reality, though only 90 minutes long, is packed with twists and turns, and more and more lovers' freak-outs. It's another version of TV's "The Bachelor" and, indeed, at the outset the handsome Matt is proposing marriage to the lovely Annie as the show's big finale: after a grueling competition among young women, for the hand of the Perfect Young Man. But as soon as the big proposal is completed, a backdrop of a Hawaiian sunset is torn down, and "we're moving on!" as they say in Hollywood. If you love outrageous backstage Hollywood stories and modern, screwed-up romances, look no further than Reality. The play is all about what happens between the taping of the series finale and when it all goes public on TV months later. In particular, it's about the secret betrayals and scheming, and the lust for fame that only begins after two dozen young women have each been sent away in a stretch limousine, and just one is left standing on that Hawaiian beach. Maggie Conroy (Annie) is genuinely heartwarming and painfully authentic as an Iowa nurse with a lot of personal grit and determination, after some harsh real-life experience. But her newly minted fiancĂ© (Tyler Vickers) is humorously astonishing: a spoiled rich kid with a lot of foolish, self-romanticizing ways to avoid commitment. Tellingly, the TV show's runner-up (the wildly vixen-ish Julie Layton) is also planted "off-stage left" at the outset, intently watching that first scene in the shadows: as our Prince Charming gives the wedding ring to his one true Cinderella. And Krissandra (Ms. Layton) will pop in to commiserate with Annie again and again. In the meantime, we learn more about Matt, and the show's producer too, played with appropriate subtlety and farcical drama by Ben Nordstrom. Both men will figure outrageously in Annie's new life. It's all handled beautifully, as protestations of love and honor crumble like Egyptian ruins, again and again. Curses, cries and whispers rise up from the rubble, raising tensions each time—and vows of vengeance, too. If you asked me what was the best theater company in town, I'd certainly say HotCity was one of the best of the last decade. If you asked me what their best show ever was, I'd say Reality is a very strong contender. You might even say this show, and this company combined, are a match made in heaven. My only consolation is imagining them going off together, on some never-ending honeymoon. But the show only runs through December 20, 2014, at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand Ave., located between Saint Louis University and the Fox Theatre. (There is one obvious error in the program: there is no intermission.) Another great new play by Lia Romeo, Connected, premiered at HotCity in February, 2013. For more information on Reality, visit hotcitytheatre.org. Cast Production Staff: Company Staff: * Denotes Member, Actors Equity Association, the professional union of actors and stage managers in the US. Photo: Kyra Bishop
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