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| Sara Andreas, Richard Kline and Jerry Adler. Photo: Gerry Goodstein |
On-stage Rapport Shines in Sunshine Boys
By Lauren Yarger
Director Vincent J.
Cardinal finds a wonderful onstage rapport among
veteran actors Jerry Adler and Richard Kline and UConn alum Richard Ruiz to propel
CT Repertory Theater’s fine production of Neil Simon’s 1972 comedy The Sunshine Boys, the second of this
season’s Nutmeg Summer Series offerings.
The comedy team of Lewis and Clark (Kline, TV’s “Three’s Company,” City of Angels,
first national tour Wicked and Adler, “The Sopranos,”
“Rescue Me,” “The Good Wife,” CRT’s “I’m Connecticut”) once dominated vaudeville, but a falling
out broke them up after 43 years in show business. Now, Clark sits alone
watching TV in his rundown hotel room (designed by Tim Brown) waiting for his
nephew/manager Ben Silverman (Ruiz) to get him a gig doing commercials. Ben
tries his best, but Willie has trouble remembering his lines.
Meanwhile, Al, who
has retired from the business, is dealing with health issues while living with
his daughter and her family over in dreaded New Jersey.
One day, Ben has
good news. A television special about the history of comedy is being produced
and wouldn’t be complete without including Lewis and Clark. But can the
estranged entertainers stand being in the same room with each other long enough
to recreate their famous doctor sketch?
Ben doesn’t give
Willie much of a choice. How would it look to the network if he couldn’t even
arrange a booking with his own uncle? Not to mention that the gig will pay them
each $10,000. Willie agrees, despite his reluctance to reunite with the partner
who mercilessly poked him in the chest and spit in his face when delivering his
lines all those years…
Hostilities surface
during the initial meeting and escalate during the taping of the special with
Sandra Andreas playing the buxom and provocatively costumed nurse (Lisa Loen,
design) who is the catalyst for many of the team’s jokes, which often get
interrupted by the actors’ feud, all to the consternation of the director
(Thomas Brazzle, a recent student at UConn and a noticeable nonEquity member of
the cast).
The ordeal brings on
a heart attack for Willie and lands him in the care of a registered nurse (Tina
Fabrique, Ella) who doesn’t take any grief from the old man who needs to
make some decisions about where to live and whether or not to see Al again.
Simon’s comedy (which
has a few updates to make it a little more modern) still is funny and the humor
here is made sharper by that rapport among the three main actors. Willie and Al
exude a natural loathing and marvelous timing, especially when the men go into
their characters’ oft-performed doctor sketch. At one point, on the night I
attended, one of the jokes tickled the actors’ funny bone for real, proving
that the actors, as well as the characters, are a good comedy team. It also was
fun to watch Adler expertly wait for the laugh before timing his next line. A
real treat to see these actors on stage
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| Gerry Goodstein photo |
More impressive than
two good actors doing what they do best, however, is how Ruiz, pictured right with Kline, fits perfectly in
to the mix. He has stood out in roles at CT Rep’s My Fair Lady, The Music
Man and Man of LaMancha as well as in Yale Rep’s American Night, but really shines here. He
conveys real affection for his uncle, admiration for Al and somehow manages to
be engaging without getting in the way of the veterans.
The two-hour comedy
with an intermission is the second offering in the Nutmeg series. Next up: Gypsy,
starring Leslie Uggams, June 19-29.
The Sunshine Boys plays through June 29 at Jorgensen Auditorium on the UConn Storrs campus. Showitimes vary. Tickets are $10-$43: 860-486-2113; www.crt.uconn.edu; box
office at the Nafe Katter Theatre,
820 Bolton Rd.
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