"PARALLEL LIVES," Euphemism Here Productions at The Space
BY KELLY AIGLON
When three actors try to tackle 30 vastly different roles, it can be one laborious undertaking. But Euphemism Here Productions (which consists of Jenn Remke, Laura Ciresi and veteran Diane Honeyman) has set out to do just that in its inaugural production, "Parallel Lives" -- and no amount of energy has been abandoned.
What does get left in the dust in this series of seemingly unrelated comedic sketches is plausibility. It could be due to the heavy-handed dialogue, penned by comedians Kathy Najimy and Mo Gaffney. These writers have assembled a hodgepodge of characters -- from a Kenny Rodgers-infatuated youngster to Shakespearean lovers, to over-the-hill best friends -- who engage in forced conversations and rarely explore a full range of emotions.
The first scene, for instance, features a devil and an angel discussing (in front of what could only be imaginary laptops) how they’ll create the universe. Together, reach a conclusion: "We’ll give the power of birth a few drawbacks…dull the shine a little…make it messy, painful." This is just the beginning of references intended to resound with feminists. This segment is followed shortly by what’s called "Period Piece," during which Remke and Ciresi demonstrate how macho menstruation would be if it were a guy’s thing.
The three women deserve credit for bouncing from character to character, making them as believable as possible with minimal props (simple hats, eyeglasses and the like). They also commit to every role 100 percent with unflagging enthusiasm. This makes every scene race at a fever pitch, though, and the immediacy of each verbal and physical choice they make rarely leaves the audience at ease. There’s a too-quick back-and-forth rhythm. If the actors took their time, they might be able to pull a breadth of feeling from their characters.
In "God," for one, Remke and Ciresi do a speedy shuffle between a confessional scene and a recounting of all their childhood misadventures that led up to it. And in "Las Hermanas," two flamboyant best friends make a show of throwing out rapid-fire funnies in a Mexican restaurant. There appears to be no central plot -- until, that is, very well-delivered monologues provide a refreshing tempo. Remke gives a powerful soliloquy about abortion toward the end of "God," her pauses saying more than words ever could. And Honeyman (the real ace of this production) gets some chuckles for her solo story about a nephew’s coming out in "Las Hermanas."
Honeyman, in the role of fiftysomething chatterbox Syvvie, says perhaps the most memorable -- and truly funny -- line of the show: "I got used to the microwave oven; I can get used to you being a gay person."
As a whole, the actors have some basic blocking issues to address. Two people supposedly seated in a car, for example, should exit the car as if it were a real object -- opening the door, bending their legs, ducking, etc. And when a door is introduced in a scene, it should be used consistently. Also I don’t know where the imaginary character "Jakeson" was when Remke was addressing him during the bar scene, "Hank and Karen Sue," but all eyes were directed as if he were pasted to the floor.
To its credit, Euphemism Here Productions has made a noble effort. And Remke, Ciresi and Honeyman harness a lot of creative dynamo under those 30 layers of characters. That said, they would probably do much better if they were playing with their own material -- or at least a work that was more focused and slow-paced. A series of vignettes about madcap characters is fun, to be sure, but only when we get to find out what those characters are really about.•
Euphemism Here Productions’ staging of "Parallel Lives" runs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. through July 30 at The Space, 4829 N. Damen. Tickets: $5. Call 773-935-8818 or e-mail euphemismhere@hotmail.com.
Contributing Critic Kelly Aiglon is the senior editor of "WHERE Chicago" magazine, for which she covers arts and entertainment. She also writes about theater for the "Chicago Tribune," "UR Chicago," "PerformInk" and "Footlights." Kelly can be reached at kellyaiglon@hotmail.com.
