By Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel
SOLANA BEACH, California — The genius of playwright Neil Simon shines at the North Coast Rep with his Sunshine Boys. Simon spins a story of an angry old comic and turns it into a brilliant comedy- drama with a laugh a minute.
Meet Willy (Lenny Wolpe) now old, cranky, living alone and still carrying a grudge against Al, his former comedy partner. After a successful vaudeville career together for 43 years Al retired. Willy hates him for leaving him in the lurch, and has not spoken to him for years.
Willy’s only visitor and caregiver is his nephew, Ben, who is also his former agent. Ben has great difficulty dealing with his disgruntled and unreasonable uncle. The exchange of one-liners between Ben and Willy are sharp and funny.
Then a surprising invitation comes from a new TV special, the World of Comedy. They want the old timers to perform their popular skit about a doctor. Ben has the onerous job to convince Willy to at least meet with Al, his archenemy. Ben then has to arrange a rehearsal in Willy’s apartment to prepare for the filming in the television studio. Each step with Willy is painful, but Ben persists.
Al, played sensitively by James Sartorius, finally arrives in the apartment. He is willing to go through with the act, but is constantly egged on and irritated by Willy. The two actors are masterful as they quibble every step of the way. They each do full justice to Neil Simon’s’ script. Direction by Jeffrey B. Moss keeps the fast pace of dialogue and smooth staging filled with laughs.
I must give credit for the clever use of curtains set- up for the recording studio scene. When the scene finished, with a quick removal of the curtains we were right back into Willy’s apartment Well-done Design team.
When the final “ invisible” curtain” came down there was a standing ovation for the remarkable cast of three, and supporting cast. It was a fun afternoon, and I hope you will catch the play and enjoy it as much as I did.
Neil Simon is an icon among writers. He wrote 30 plays, and an equal number of movies usually based on his plays. He received more Oscars and Tony awards than any other writer. He lived from July 4, 1927 to August 26, 2018, and grew up in New York City during the Great Depression.
It takes a talented back stage crew to produce a good play, so kudos to the design team that included Marty Burnett (resident scenic designer), Matthew Novotny (light design), Elisa Benzoni (costume design), Peter Herman (hair and wig design), Danielle Stephens (stage manager), and Phillip North (Prop Design.).
*
Cantor Merel is the cantor emeritus of Congregation Beth Israel in San Diego. He may be contacted via sheldon.merel@sdjewishworld.com