What would be a boulevard play in
France, Viagara Falls harks back to off-Broadway little comedies of the '50s
through '70s with updating mostly in the title. Made to attract a matinee
crowd, a show like this usually combined naughty and nice. So sexy talk
promises sexy action off-stage rather than showing it. And the talk is mainly one joke after
another.
Charlie Milhouse (squat, funny
Lou Cutell) is having an 80th birthday, but he wants not just
another cake-and-baloons celebration with his best pal. The conservative Moe
Crubbs, age 70, a five-year
widower like himself. (Robert Pine as Moe is the consummate straight man.) So
Charlie suggests they hire prostitutes for a home slumber party. He's bought
some Viagara to assure no slumber and avoid the risk of going out to a night spot.
After a lot of bickering, in a series of jokes suitable for a comedy club
routine, plus practiced preparations and drawings back and going forward, the
guys welcome Jacqueline Tempest. The tall blond beauty with bust and legs much
in evidence promises to make up for lack of her usual partner, just arrested.
(Teresa Ganzel makes her seem professional yet almost innocent and definitely
likeable.)
Guess who uses the Viagara? Who
gets the experience of a lifetime? And what's the secret about that lifetime?
How effective are the references to Jackie's fees? (They're not all jokes like "got two nipples for a dime?") Where does pathos come in? What does
Frank Sinatra music have to do with everything? Basically, the 1 hour, 45
minute one-act is a burlesque show incorporated into a one-time sitcom. Like the cozy, old-fashioned apartment
setting (by Sydney Liwack) imported from NYC, Viagara Falls takes a while to
enjoy but captures its intended audience (for matinees and the older kind of
dinner theaters), who punctuate the stream of bits and banter with laughs.
Costumes: Bob Mackie. Lighting (a
bit dark): Alex Newberry. Tech Supervisor: Trez Cole. Production Stage Manager:
Kyle Ennis Turoff.