THE TROUBLE WE COME FROM at The Falcon

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Michael Weston and Scott Caan (Photo by Jill Mamey)

It is such a pleasure to see actors who ‘make it’ with a film career or a television series come back to the stage.  Kudos to Scott Caan (Dano Williams on the new Hawaii Five-0 ) who penned this swiftly moving two act piece.  As the ‘actor’ Vince, he also backs up the talented Michael Weston (Charlie).  The source of the title remains a mystery.  Charlie, is a playwright who has written a play that Vince is starring in. The theater is a small one right next to where Charlie lives. At rise we see him rush into his apartment finding remnants of an unwelcome visit.  The red string bikini can only belong to Joanna, the hot raven haired lover with whom he has enjoyed celestial erotica, though he has just found out that he is about to become a father with his current squeeze, Shelley.

Teri Reeves (photo by Jill Mamey)

  

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The amazing performances by Teri Reeves as four completely different women is noteworthy because even though we know from the program that Joanna, Samantha, The Blonde and Kelly are all played by Ms Reeves, her approach and delivery for each one is sexy and believable.  No stereotypes for her.  Her Kelly is especially moving.

Playwright Caan may be writing autobiographically.  It’s not hard to surmise that this handsome young actor has had a dalliance or two on the road to Honolulu.  The dialogue is snappy, funny and thoughtful.  Caan and Weston explore their  relationship with Caan’s character pumping Charlie for details of his sexual exploits. He  then has an exploit of his own on the couch, in the shower and elsewhere!  Charlie is emotionally at risk.  He is easily aroused and is attractive to and attracted to many women, including the four love interests whom we meet during the course of the play.  Toward the end, we meet the woman who dismissed him with an email, Kelly, after a three day quiet period.  It’s been three years and Kelly returns to rekindle what has become dead cold: Ms Reeves at her best.  

An odd twist brings Charlie’s babymomma, the Aussie, Shelley, (Claire van der Bloom) to the stage with an interesting conclusion  best left to the reader to figure out.  Have we been watching a play or is this an observation of the real lives of these interesting folks who, of course will go on with their lives after the curtain falls?

Director Matt August positions his actors comfortably. The dialogue moves apace with the feeling of Billy Wilder or Frank Capra blossoming crisply.  Beautiful multifunctional set by Stephen Gifford and appropriate lighting by Luke Moyer are all up to Garry Marshall’s Falcon standards.  Seeing this show will be a pleasure or maybe a problem for folks who have found themselves torn and distracted by too many love interests.  Playwright Caan rounds out his characters well, especially his own, who while playing an ‘actor’ transcends the acting possibly becoming a guy whom he may be observing in the mirror every day!

THE TROUBLE WE COME FROM by Scott Caan

The Falcon Theatre

4252 Riverside Drive

Burbank, CA 91505

Thursdays through Sundays

Closes July 12, 2015 (no show July 4^th)

Tickets and information

818 955 8101

or falcontheatre.com