Gloucester Stage is presenting a hilarious comedy
by one of its own. Israel Horovitz is a prolific playwright, and his
latest offering, "Out Of The Mouth Of Babes," is one
of his best. This production is the New England Premiere of the play that first
appeared last year at Cherry Lane
Theatre in NYC. His wit and humor and sardonic look at relationships are on
full display in this four-handed comedy that feature the stunning cast of Paula Plum, Debra Wise, Sarah Hickler,
and Obehi Janice. Under the
direction of Mr. Horovitz himself, the sparks fly back and forth among
these four women, all of whom have been romantically involved with a man whose
funeral they have come to attend in Paris.
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| Debra Wise as Evelyn Paula Plum as Evvie Sarah Hickler as Janice Obehi Janice as Marie-Belle "Out of the Mouth of Babes" by Israel Horovitz Gloucester Stage Company Through September 2nd Photo by Gary Ng |
The concept is that the
deceased has died at the age of 100 after a full career of teaching at a Paris
conservatory, collecting art, and collecting women. Of the four women
gathered in his loft, one was married to him at the time of his death, two are
ex-wives, and one is an ex-lover. The skein of resentments that exist among
the four would baffle a sociologist, for it turns out that in several cases,
one woman had replaced another as the object of desire of this equal
opportunity Lothario. Of particular interest to me was the fact that
three of the four women hail from Boston - one from the North End, one from
South Boston, and one from Cambridge. His much younger last wife, Marie-Belle,
is the lone exception. The playwright's Boston roots come through as Evelyn, Evvie, and Janice discuss Johnny Pesky, the recently deceased
icon of the Boston Red Sox. Complications arise when Marie-Belle comes home and
reveals that the spirit of the man they all loved is making frequent contact with
her, even to the point of tickling her. It is the audience that is most tickled
by the shenanigans that ensue.
Jenna McFarland Lord has designed a gorgeous set that includes more than two
dozen original works of art, many of which are available for purchase by
audience members. Costumes are by Jane Alois Stein, Lighting
by Russ Swift and Sound
by David Remedios.
The brilliance of this play lies primarily in the non-stop acerbic
repartee that flies back and forth among these four rivals. The lines
have been crafted by a master wordsmith, and flawlessly delivered by a cast
that sparkles. The limited run of this play must end of September 2nd. If
the reaction of the audience on the night when I attended is any indication,
this is a play that will resonate with many people. I found it to be a
total delight; it is a "Must See." Get yourself to East
Gloucester, and enjoy hearing Horovitz's inspired words as they cascade out of the
mouths of these four talented babes! This is an ensemble piece of the first order, and this ensemble is "formidable - comme il faut"!
Gloucester Stage Website
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| Paula Plum as EvvieDebra Wise as Evelyn Playwright Israel Horovitz Obehi Janice as Marie-Belle Sarah Hickler as Janice "Out of the Mouth of Babes" by Israel Horovitz Gloucester Stage Company Through September 2nd Photo by Gary Ng |
Gloucester Stage Website
Enjoy!
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