Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Reviews from Elsewhere: Cici Barone on Frankie and Johnnie in the Claire de Lune, Frogdog Productions at the City Theatre, February 1 - 16, 2013

Published February 12 at www.austinentertainmentweekly.com:

Frankie and Johnnie Frogdog Austin TXAustin Entertainment Weekly


Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
by Terrence McNally
Frogdog Productions at the City Theatre, February 1 - 16
reviewed by CiCi Barone

 

In its inaugural production, Frogdog Productions did an admirable job with a script of which I cannot honestly say I am a fan. As director Ronni D. Prior put it, “It’s a love story without all the romance stuff getting in the way.” There were moments of brilliance and a few missteps but all in all I’d say the two person cast did a decent job.

The plot of the play is relatively simple, though the author throws it around at random much like the film, “Lost in Translation.” Unless you had a flow chart, at times the conversation was hard to follow. Frankie is a waitress and Johnny is the short order chef at the same restaurant. The play follows the 24 hours following their first date, and Johnny’s desperate attempts to convince Frankie that they are soul mates and this is the only instant in their lives in which they have to truly connect and decide that they will be together.

As patrons walk into the theatre, you are immediately struck by a very yellow set, designed by director Ronni Prior and producer/female lead Summer Lynn Bryant, which is obviously a very small apartment. It’s a bit cluttered as though its inhabitant has lived there for quite a long time. Clothes are strewn all about the floor and a bright blue bra is meretriciously hanging from a shelf, leading one to suspect certain adult activities have just taken place.

Read more at www.austinentertainmentweekly.com. . . .

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