Raven Theatre’s ‘Laughter on the 23rd Floor’ Serves Justice to Neil Simon Masterpiece

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:58:33 -0600

Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Part slapstick and part Henny Youngman-style one-liner schtick, “Laughter on the 23rd Floor” is a classic American comedy that still rings funny no matter how many times you’ve seen it.

Chosen by Chicago’s Raven Theatre to close out its 25th year, director Michael Menendian and his cast of quick wits do the Neil Simon masterpiece great justice. Originally produced in 1993, the play seems largely inspired by Neil Simon’s experiences as a joke writer on “Your Show of Shows” where he worked with Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Larry Gelbart, Mel Tolkin and brother Danny Simon.

Eric Roach as Max Prince, Mackenzie Kyle as Carol Wyman and Noah Simon (seated) as Milt Fields in “Laughter on the 23rd Floor” at the Raven Theatre through July 26, 2008.
Photo credit: Dean La Prairie

In “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” a group of television comedy writers squabble and tease each other all under awe of larger-than-life television personality Max Prince.

“Laughter on the 23rd Floor” performs in Chicago at the Raven Theatre through July 26, 2008.
Photo credit: Raven Theatre

The personal lives of the characters seem secondary to the major issues of putting up a weekly sketch-comedy show and dealing with network censorship against the ominous backdrop of McCarthyism in the 1950s.

Lucas Brickman – a junior writer for the show – gives running commentary among the zingers and pseudo-psychotic behavior of the creative team of “The Max Prince Show”.

While Lucas isn’t a leading-man character, actor Dan Granata masterfully plays the role of ambassador to the audience and plays well against their energy. Eric Roach’s Max Prince feels more Jackie Gleason than Sid Caesar. You can immediately feel his presence when he enters the room.

The rest of the actors each bring something unique to characters that have been interpreted hundreds of times. They make this production interesting to watch even if you’ve seen the show ad nauseam. Letting Simon’s jokes sell themselves takes center stage in this gag-saturated script.

While the Raven Theatre has a great space, the wide-open staging at times seems almost counterintuitive for this show. Past productions I’ve seen have had the bagel tray almost directly on top of the writer’s table.

At the Raven’s East Stage, the scenery is so widely spaced that the tone of the play seems less tense than I’ve seen in other productions.

Left to right: Eric Roach, Jeremy Glickstein, Dean La Prairie, Noah Simon, Greg Caldwell and Greg Hardin in “Laughter on the 23rd Floor” at the Raven Theatre through July 26, 2008.
Photo credit: Michael Menendi

Rather than feeling like the writers are a family who live in closed quarters – constantly bickering and in each other’s business – it feels more like attention-starved friends trying to best each other with snappy comebacks.

Sometimes you’ll miss a quick one-liner while trying to whip your head from a neurotic Jew droning at a table to a drunken Russian over by a coffeemaker. Menendian imaginatively plays up the physical comedy and uses the space to elongate zany chases.

Despite the serious issues addressed in the play including the Red Scare and the changing face of television, the Raven’s production is fun and light-hearted.

The actors all have natural ability for comedy and the timing of each bit makes the show fly by. Neil Simon’s comedies can always be counted on for belly laughs. The Raven Theatre’s production of “Laughter on the 23rd Floor” delivers on that promise.

“Laughter on the 23rd Floor” runs through July 26, 2008 at the Raven Theatre at 6157 N. Clark St. in Chicago. The play runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. through June 28, 2008. While tickets are $25 for adults or $20 for students, they’re half price with this link.

For a complete listing of all shows and reviews in Chicago, visit our partner TheatreInChicago.com. For half-price Chicago theater tickets, visit our partner Goldstar.

By DUSTIN LEVELL
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
dustin@hollywoodchicago.com

Top Chicago Theater Picks For Feb. 14, 2008: ‘Heat Wave,’ ‘Augusta,’ ‘Columbinus’

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:01:41 -0700

CHICAGO – Following the popularity of our HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film offering (free advance-screening movie passes!), we’ve had numerous requests from readers to offer the same kind of deals for local theater and comedy, too. We are now pleased to bring you the HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Theater & Comedy as a result of a new partnership with Goldstar.

Similiar but a bit different than our partnership with FilmMetro.com for HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, this new package features our top selections for the best theater and comedy shows just about to raise their curtains specifically in Chicago. While these obviously can’t all be offered for free, some are free and most are half price!

We are confident about our decision to partner with Goldstar for this important offering. Founded in 2002 in Los Angeles, Goldstar is comprised of Internet professionals from Warner Bros., Yahoo!, etc. who have been working in e-commerce since before it was called e-commerce.

For each of the Chicago productions we feature below, all they ask is for you to create a free account, which takes but a minute. You’ll then have access to all the free and half-price tickets to top-quality productions that your heart desires. Here are this week’s selections and deals!

Title: “Heat Wave”
Venue: Pegasus Players at O’Rourke Center
Dates: Feb. 21 to 24, 2008
Full Price: $15 Partner Price: Free!
Description: Based on the book “Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago,” Steven Simoncic’s moving new play looks at the heat wave of 1995 that took the lives of 739 Chicagoans. Simoncic presents a vivid portrait of a city in crisis but with its resources and humanity firmly intact.
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Title: “Columbinus”
Venue: Raven East Stage
Dates: Feb. 14 to March 15, 2008
Full Price: $25 Partner Price: Free-$12.50!
Description: “Columbinus” is a fascinating examination of human behavior based on interviews with Columbine residents. The play first creates a general world of adolescence and then morphs into the factual events leading specifically to the school shootings. “Columbinus” asks: “Why do people treat each other the way we do?”
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Title: “Augusta”
Venue: American Theater Company
Dates: Feb. 14 to 24, 2008
Full Price: $30-$35 Partner Price: $15-$17.50!
Description: American Theater Company presents the Chicago premiere of Richard Dresser’s “Augusta,” which is directed by “Saturday Night Live” alum Nora Dunn. This searing dark comedy puts the clash between working people and corporate America under the microscope. Two women and their boss scheme with and against each other as they strive to make a housekeeping service their ticket to success. As the trio’s desperation moves them to test ethical limits, Augusta confronts the real meaning of getting ahead.
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Title: “Good Boys and True”
Venue: Steppenwolf Downstairs Theatre
Dates: Feb. 15 to 16, 2008
Full Price: $55-$68 Partner Price: $27.50-$34!

Description: Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s “Good Boys and True”. When Brandon Hardy – a highly regarded student at an elite prep school – is embroiled in a scandal that threatens his future, his mother must investigate to separate fact from fiction.

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Title: “Talking it Over”
Venue: Lifeline Theatre
Dates: Feb. 11 to March 16, 2008
Full Price: $25 Partner Price: $12.50!

Description: When steady Stuart marries the enigmatic Gillian, his impetuous school chum, Oliver, senses that three has become a crowd. But who will end up on the outside as this love triangle struggles to find balance? This darkly comic look at friendship, loyalty and love is at once funny and brutal.

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By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com