REVIEWS OF SEASONS OF LOVE

Actor J. Timothy Conlon, on "Seasons of Love" in its run at

The Author's Playhouse, in Bay Shore, Long Island, NY:

I had the great pleasure this past Saturday night to see "Season's of Love," four one-act comedies at the Author's Playhouse in Bay Shore.  Yeah, I know, it's Chekhov (for whom the phrase "lost something in the translation" seems to have been coined), but this gutsy production did its very best to bridge the intercontinental divide.  Under the assured hand of Rodney Hakim, the energetic cast was not only true to the source material but also (yikes!) seemed to be able to pronounce all those Russian names correctly AND effortlessly.

First up was "The Wedding" which accomplished the near impossible - it crammed eleven actors into the claustrophobic confines of the theater's modest playing area.  Conjuring the spirit of Groucho's stateroom scene from "A Night at the Opera," the talented actors ran frenetically in circles around the table and chairs, never once banging into one another or upsetting the furniture -- a testament to both the choreography and those executing it.  Into the reception comes a retired naval captain, Fyodor Yakovlevitch Ruvunov-Karaulov (just to give you an taste of what these actors had to deal with merely to address one another), played hilariously by Leon Benedict, who proceeds to bore the celebrants so egregiously that they shout him off the stage.

Each performer -- including the talents of Dino Castelli, Jason Trigger (subbing for Brian Smith), Kim Volpe, Sean Fitzgerald, Peter Vellios, and Rosa Faulisi -- did his or her best to steal focus, which only made the piece more of a smorgasbord of wonderful humorous moments (if you'll excuse the cross-cultural mixed metaphor).

"The Anniversary" comes next and was the most interesting of the lot.  Rodney plays a man who is being feted for having worked fifteen years at a bank.  He is overseeing misogynistic John Tighe, who is rushing to complete the firm's monthly report (on an abacus!) while fending off the attentions of Rodney's sexy wife, played by the ever-so-slinky Claudine Coffaro.  Debbie N. Starker wanders into the mix, mistaking the bank for the unemployment office and demanding benefits for her out-of-work husband.  I know what you're thinking, "sounds hilarious," but really, it is.

After an intermission that provided free soda and cookies (and what theater on Long Island does THAT?), Peter C. Morrison opened Act II with a comic monologue called "On the Harmfulness of Tobacco."  With a master's nuance and impeccable comic timing, Peter delivered one of the most accomplished performances I have seen in a long, long time.  It was pure perfection and called to mind the best of Robert Benchley's short films from the 30s and 40s.

Having already seen love in its early and middle seasons, we now encounter it in its later years, bringing the evening to its touching thematic conclusion.  Closing the night were Phyllis March and Ted Fleissgarten -- she playing a grieving widow and he playing her insistent creditor -- in "The Bear" which, although not as funny as the foregoing pieces, provided riveting theater nonetheless.  Both actors brought a wealth of passion and dignity and truth to their characterizations, as they made their way through their very real conflict.   Rounding out the cast is Lou "Doc" Schimoler as Phyllis's long-suffering footman.

If you have ever made a promise to yourself to support local theater that takes a risk by presenting something you can't find anywhere else on Long Island, then I encourage you to see this show.  If, on the other hand, you simply want to fill your evening with laughter, well, I encourage you to see this show.  At $10, you will not find a better bargain for a night out.

Director  Joan St. Onge, on "Seasons of Love" in its run at

The Author's Playhouse, in Bay Shore, Long Island, NY:

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© 2007 Rodney Hakim