Wednesday, May 19, 1999
THEATER REVIEW
'Love! Valour!' funny, spirited
BY JACKIE DEMALINE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
It's nighttime on the first day of Memorial Day weekend. Seven friends are gathered for a house party at a great old farmhouse in the country a couple of hours north of Manhattan. The house is asleep, but, of course, houses are never truly asleep.
There is an unwilling witness to a surprise assignation. In a very few moments, change is set in motion. Through the course of three summer holiday weekends, all their lives will never be the same.
This is Terrence McNally's funny, spirited and spiritual Love! Valour! Compassion! in its funny, spirited and spiritual regional premiere by Cincinnati Public Theatre. It continues this weekend and next in the Aronoff Center's Fifth Third Bank Theater.
It's a perfect example of why it's easy — even imperative — to keep the faith with fragile young Cincinnati Public. It's poised to fill a vital niche on the local theater scene: This is the group that willingly (and, true, not always successfully) ventures off Cincinnati's beaten path (the Pulitzer Prize winning The Kentucky Cycle).
Love! Valour! is peopled by brilliant but aging choreographer Gregory (Jim Conrad), who owns Manderley, and his beautiful and blind young lover Bobby (Derek Hake), plus their friends.
Charming, cynical Perry (the first-rate Brian Anderson) has been with Arthur (Gary Downes) forever, Screamingly funny musical theater queen Buzz (the engaging Tim Semon) is in the latter stages of AIDS. He's never cuter than when he's decked out in a frilly pinafore apron, open-toed lime green heels and a pair of Jayne Mansfield shades (and that's all), part of a wonderful costume assemblage by Gordon DeVinney.
Bill Brewer is splendid as a pair of twins, heart of darkness John and sweet and saintly James, who shows up for the Fourth of July, also in the latter stages of AIDS. It's John, of course, who brings studly dancer Ramon (Lyle Benjamin) into the mix; it's Ramon who seduces Bobby and begins a summer of emotional chaos.
Mr. McNally fills his characters with ironies, fear, courage and tenderness and his play with sentiment, solid craft and an unflagging admiration for artists.
Set against set designer Trent Kotch's dreamy painted scrim of the country house and grounds, the characters skinny dip (mostly tastefully behind the scrim), come together, come apart, live, laugh, cry and prepare to die.
They break down the traditional fourth wall and comment on the action to the audience. Perry has the most to say, but the others also have a turn at looking back, observing the present and looking to a future that really is an end.
Director Don Wong finds everything his actors have to give, which is not to say it's enough to do Love! Valour! complete justice. Not enough of them can create the layerings or build the subtle emotional intensity that carry the play to its heart-wrenching climax.
But there is enough of a foundation for the audience to fill in the blanks.
Love! Valour! Compassion!, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through May 29, Aronoff Center Fifth Third Bank Theater. 241-7469.
Short Vine may charge for Sunday night entry
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