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| Jai Rodriguez as Alex Moore Photo by Sasha A. Venola |
Buyer & Cellar
currently at the Falcon is a tour de force performance of a near
flawless script by Jonathan Tolins, directed expertly by Dimitri
Toscas. It's Jai Rodriguez holding the stage for an hour and a half with a roller coaster ride that is, simply, a Must See.
Inspired by Barbra Streisand's book
"My Passion for Design," whether or not Tolins' story is true or not,
the story comes to life with a nudge and a wink as Rodriguez (as Alex
Moore) enters from the house making sure the audience understands that
this is a "work of fiction." That said, the checkered career of Alex
Moore, including employment at The Magic Kingdom!.. unfolds with a cast
of at least five other characters smoothly brought to life with
precision by the actor. Adam Flemming's spare but versatile set becomes,
with easy lighting changes by Nick McCord, various locations, most
notably the downstairs 'shopping mall' created by Alex's Malibu employer
to pretty much enjoy on her own. Alex's job is to literally mind the
store: the yogurt machine, the popcorn popper and to dust the myriad of
collectables that reflect the exquisite and very expensive tastes of the
actress, director, singer and interior designer who has enjoyed seven
decades of her career: Barbra!
As
Alex settles into his employment in Streisand's cellar, a "perceived"
friendship develops with the star. Transitioning easily from one
character to another, from storyteller to the supporting players with a
simple gesture and change of voice, we find ourselves adoring the
character and feeling sorry for her as she confesses that all she has
ever really wanted was "to be pretty."
Rodriguez never drops a stitch as the story flows along.
It
must be noted that even with the standard request by the preshow
announcer to turn off all electronic devices, a phone lit up in the lap
of the woman seated directly in front of me. As we are, all of us??,
becoming slaves to our electronic leashes, the days of courtesy in
public seem to be dwindling away. It may be cruel to call this woman a
'jerk!' Who knows what the emergency might have been, but had she done
as we were asked, the phone would not have intruded.
When
we go to a movie or a play, I think it's to escape the 'real world'
briefly to abandon disbelief and immerse ourselves in the play or the
film. If we find it not to our liking, then we are free to excuse
ourselves. I hope the woman felt a bit of shame as I leaned forward and
asked her to turn her phone off.
To
be dragged out of the play by rude behavior is simply wrong. I hope
that we never become a society of rude "jerks" constantly linked to the
ever intruding iPhone or other devices which ruin a performance for an
entire theatre full of folks who have paid admission to suspend our
disbelief and immerse ourselves in the the argument of the play.
Buyer & Cellar is a well constructed, funnier than anything: poignant and kind tour de force: an evening to remember. Don't miss this one!
Buyer & Cellar
by Jonathan Tolins
Falcon Theatre
4252 Riverside Drive
Through November 6, 2016
Tickets and additional information
Burbank, California
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