Theater review: Epic Proportions

by Lyle Huchton of John Garcia's The Column

The cast of Epic Proportions.

Could you ever imagine yourself as part of a movie by being one of one-thousand extras on the set? Gone are the days of Hollywood investing in large scale films such as Gone with the Wind or The Ten Commandments. Today this type of work is created in post production with fewer actors. Most of the grand settings we now see on the Silver Screen are computer generated.

This economy has over-flowed onto the stage. The use of actors to play more than one role was once a novelty has now become the norm. Multiple sets are replaced with parts, such as a tree is a forest or a rock is supposed to be a mountain. A simple piece of furniture is supposed to represent a place.

This is the premise on which the play Epic Proportions, being produced by Rover Dramawerks at Cox Building Playhouse in Plano, is built upon. The set consists of a single back-drop with a few simple pieces moving in and out. Most of the characters are played by an ensemble of four actors. The remaining group, referred to as "The Mob," is only heard offstage.

The plot centers around two brothers, Benny and Phil Bennett, who are playing extras cast in the epic film, Exeunt Omens, which is being shot in the Arizona desert during the 1930s. Through a series of mishaps, one brother becomes the director of the film and the other brother becomes the leading man. Both brothers fall for Louise Goldman, the "Assistant in Charge of Atmosphere Personnel," who becomes the leading lady.

There are some funny and charming moments throughout the show; however the plot does not sustain itself for the duration of a two act play. Written by Larry Coen & David Crane, the script tries to be too clever in spite of itself. Crane actually was a former writer/producer of the popular sitcom Friends. Most of the dialogue falls flat and the gags are frankly, well ... gag. But the cast does give it their best college try.

Playing the brothers are Joe Cucinotti as Benny and Charles Bates as Phil. One a little manic, the other a little too calm, but they balance each other out quite well.

Anna McLaughlin is the synthetic Louise looking like she just stepped off a veranda in a Tennessee Williams play. I had a hard time following her characterization. She came across as plastic and insincere. Alas she too becomes another victim of this poorly written script. She becomes believable and alive in the second act when she is forced to take the leading lady role in the film.

The four members of the ensemble each bring their own unique energies to the many roles they portray. Chuck Catty, Matthew J. Fisher, Grisel Cambiasso, and Patrick Lynwood Henry change characters and costumes at almost every entrance. They did such a great job in their abilities as chameleons that during curtain call I kept expecting more actors to appear.

Grisel Cambiasso with her "Seven Veils Dance" (sans the veils) maintains comic precision without saying a word.

Matthew J. Fisher is a delight as the neurotic Shel. And when added with Chuck Catty and Patrick Lynwood Henry we see the makings of The Three Stooges in Roman Soldier garb.

With the talent of scenic painter Clint Alan Ray, Erica Remi Lorca's set design helped anchor the action. The sound design by Jason Rice mimicked the scores associated with such films as Ben Hur and The Ten Commandments. The booming voice of Bill Mercer added to this illusion.

Costume Designer Suzi Cranford had more of a job to do than meets the eye. The costumes not only had to set the play in the 1930s and in a desert but also had to look like glamorized versions of biblical costumes and be quick-change friendly. For the most part, this was achieved. I only wish that more of a concern would have been made to facilitate the costumes for the quick changes. The actors have enough to concentrate on trying to figure out who they are going to portray in each scene without the added distraction of fumbling with belts, flapping collars, and crooked wigs.

This was the first time that I decided to take a guest along with me to a show that I was to review. My friend would be classified as the normal, average theatergoer with no agenda but to be entertained. He loves and accepts theater for what it is and has no preconceived notions as to what it should be. Through the play, I kept paying attention to his reactions. He laughed the loudest, clapped the hardest, and even threw in a few whistles during curtain call.

Carol M. Rice and the folks at Rover Dramawerks did what they set out to do: Satisfy those who want to be entertained.