Reviewed
by Marie J. Kilker
As you can tell from the books
that fill every nook in his apartment, Douglas Zweig (Paul Hebron) has set himself up as an
intellectual. As his wife Lily's clinging dress and concern about her hair and
makeup suggest, she's more at home with the blue, salmon, pink color scheme. He's
a professor and writer of moralistic novels that sell poorly. "Like
tending someone's grave," she keeps putting them outward on shelves of
bookstores into which she pops on her way to selling real estate. Though she (Amy
McKenna) loves
the way Douglas "speaks in paragraphs," Lily'd like to be a part of
more of his bedtime creations. They're about to have the Franklins, whom they
don't care for, over for a routine boring dinner. This time it won't be
routine.
Yoked to womanizing "like
Prometheus to his rock," Rex Franklin (Jason O'Connell) also writes novels. His
preoccupations with sex-crazed Nazis make better sales than illegal drugs.
Anyone in skirts (all girls are varied nicely in a number of scenes -- except
for fishnet stockings -- by cute Teresa Reilly) sends him panting. Except his
wife Violet. (Yes, Stacey Scotte shrinks.) As in the titled dance, which introduced the
characters, there'll soon be some intertwining. And reversals. First, though,
between illustrating her keggle exercises and flattering Doug about his book
Scapegrace, Vi holds her breath during Rex's sexy jokes, aimed at Lily. Oddly,
the antics turn the Zweigs on, and that night having sex "all comes
back" to them. Vi, on the other hand, is determined to have her turn at Rex's
escapades. In between Rex flirting with a book buyer and exercising a droit
de seigneur with
his immigrant maid, he arranges to help Douglas inject sex into his books. You
realize that won't be the key to Vi's attraction to him; she loves Douglas for
the morality she'd like him to forego with her.
Love and lust lead to
poetry-hating Rex speaking in iambic pentameters. Vi buys the book Joys of
Adultery. You
can't help but giggle as both couples cross kiss and try for sex with just the
opposite of the men's usual respective results. They're so mixed up that they
seek guidance and sympathy from each other. Have they changed? Or just changed
places? Who's where and with whom in the final minuet?
You have to love the subtitles
that clue you in to the substance of scenes or keep you aware of your
surroundings: "The Lie That Binds," for instance, or "Nudge Your
Husband—It's Almost Over." It's fun to keep up with the pace set by
director Pamela Hunt, who never lets a nuance be dropped. Hebron couldn't be more bookish at
first, more roguish at last as Douglas. Sexy McKenna is no delicate Lily of the
valley, whereas a light lilac-outfitted Scotte goes from faded to flaming. As O'Connell's
startled Rex says, "Who would have thought my wife was so
interesting?" Of course, everyone looks just right dressed by Marcella Beckwith and lit by Micheal Foster to catch every mood.
Credit for scenic design is
Nayna Ramey's, with important lighting supplied by Michael Foster. Production
Stage Manager: Stacy A. Blackburn. FST's Artistic Director: Richard Hopkins.
With 1 intermission, the play lasts 1 hr., 40 mins.