"Buyer & Cellar" by Jonathan Tolins was a huge Off-Broadway hit last season. When Lyric Stage Company of Boston Producing Artistic Director Spiro Veloudos saw the piece in NYC, his first thought was that Lyric should go after the rights to produce the play, and that Phil Tayler should recreate the role of Alex More. As is usually the case when Mr. Veloudos makes theatrical judgments, he was right on target. The play is a total delight, and Mr. Tayler's performance in this one-man comedy is the finest work he has produced in a career that is already rich with memorable performances.
This play, which runs 90 minutes without Intermission, is a fascinating and hilarious admixture of truth and fiction.
Fact: Barbra Streisand has built in the basement of her Malibu home a mall in which she stores many of the thousands of costumes, antiques, knick knacks and tchotchkes she has acquired over the years of her reign as diva.
Fact: Playwright Jonathan Tolins once had a personal encounter with Ms. Streisand at a play they were both attending. She offered him half of her Kit Kat bar.
Fiction: From that encounter, Tolins began to fantasize about what it might be like to be a lone employee in Barbra's cellar, on call to respond to her every whim. This play is the result of those ruminations.
 |
| Phil Tayler as Alex More "Buyer & Cellar" Lyric Stage of Boston Through January 3, 2016 Photo by Mark S. Howard |
The play is brilliantly written, prompting from me spontaneous belly laughs at some of the outrageous lines. Mr. Tolins has a sardonic rapier wit and is a keen observer of culture, the human condition and the potential absurdities of life. He has written this play so that a lone actor plays multiple roles. Alex More is the main character, an out of work actor who is offered a chance to work in Ms. Streisand's basement. As he recounts his experiences, he also portrays Ms. Streisand, as well as the woman who is Ms. Streisand's personal assistant, who supervises Alex. We also meet Barry, Alex's boyfriend, a flamboyant under-employed screen writer who both loves the fact that Alex has access to personal encounters with Barbra, but is also insanely jealous of Alex's good fortune. Finally, we have a brief encounter with Barbra's current husband, James Brolin.
 |
| Phil Tayler as James Brolin "Buyer & Cellar" Lyric Stage of Boston Through January 3, 2016 Photo by Mark S. Howard |
This brilliant script needs a very versatile actor to execute the concept and deliver the lines in a variety of vocal styles and physical manifestations, without resorting to cartoonish caricature. The talented Mr. Tayler pulls off this high-wire act with aplomb and panache. It is a marathon challenge for an actor - to keep the audience engaged non-stop for 90 minutes without respite or without benefit of other actors to play off of. When I was not laughing uproariously, I was sitting on the edge of my seat eager to see and hear what outrageous comment might come next. Mr. Tolins has filled the actor's quiver with dozens of zingers that poke fun at the world of divas, Hollywood moguls, politicians, complex relationships and dysfunctional human beings full of insecurities. Mr. Tayler launches Tolins' arrows with flawless precision, hitting a bullseye with each one.
There is a scene in which Alex confronts Ms. Streisand with using him solely for the purpose of figuring out what color throw pillows she should use for her Family Room sofa. Mr. Tayler plays both sides of the argument. Lighting cues designed by Chris Brusberg precisely coordinate with changes in character, so we are never left to wonder who is speaking. Matching these changes in lighting a changes by Mr. Tayler in posture, gesticulation, vocal inflection to match precisely each character. He makes particularly goof use of his hands and fingers to differentiate among characters. Scenic Designer Anthony R. Phelps has created a simple but elegant set that gives Mr. Tayler the latitude to perform his magic. Sound Designer David Remedios pipes in appropriately themed Streisand songs to set the right mood, Costumes are by Rafael Jaen. Director Courtney O'Connor has managed to coax out of Mr. Tayler a praiseworthy performance that is an end-of-the-season MUST SEE. Audience members were quick to leap to their feet in approbation of the incredible performance they had just witnessed.
In the past few days, I was blessed with seeing two different plays that I would have to categorize as near perfect evenings at the theater. The first was "Hamilton" (review to follow). The second was "Buyer & Cellar"! So, to my upscale friends in Weston, Wellesley, Winchester and environs, I say take a break from doing inventory in your well-stocked wine cellar and buy some tickets to see "Buyer & Seller" before it is too late. To my friends at the other end of socio-economic scale, come up for air and leave your basement apartment in Allston or Brighton or Everett and head to Back Bay to the Lyric and take in a performance of "Buyer & Cellar." You won't have a chance to see "Hamilton" for a while, so ring out 2015 or ring in 2016 with one of the funniest plays and finest individual performances of the year!
Enjoy!
Al
Lyric Stage Website
No comments:
Post a Comment