Theater Reviews

Sep 20, 2004 - Reno Little Theater's "Play It Again, Sam" grows into a glow of considerable charm

By Jack Neal

Woody Allen's 1960's comic spinoff on Humphrey Bogart movies, "Play It Again, Sam," is being given a warm-hearted and mostly satisfying run for its money by the Reno Little Theater in a new production now on the boards at Reno's Hug High School Little Theater.

Director Doug Mishler, who obviously loves Allen's writing and sense of humor, has put together this RLT presentation with great care and attention to detail. To kick start the nostalgia and fun, there's a wonderful montage of scenes from "Casablanca" with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman going through their romantic paces, that folds nicely into the play's action - or would on a more uneventful night when phones and doorbells ring on time.

As with many community theater efforts, viewers don't always know whether the pacing is off because someone forgets a cue (or doesn't get one), or if a doorbell doesn't ring on time, or if the director just hasn't pummeled his (or her) cast into moving things along with dispatch.

Problems all, of course, but when one begins to not notice the little things, such as pesky missed cues, and begins to buy into all the right, bright things that are going on lots can be forgiven. Such is the case here.

The plot swirls around the neurotic Allan Felix, film buff and movie critic - a kind of male Myra Breckinridge whose life plays out like a movie. At the center of Allan's life is the strong and masculine Bogey who passes along one suggestion after another for handling women to a very reticent Allan. "I never saw a dame yet," Bogey snaps, "who didn't understand a good slap in the mouth or a slug from a .45." It's the kind of advice that would make most people reticent.

Crushed after his wife leaves him (she's tired of watching movies), Allan has his best friends, the happily married Linda and Dick, fix him up with a variety of women. With the ghost of Bogey egging him on, Allan dreams a series of Walter Mitty dreams in which his exploits with each of these women are hilariously, and disastrously, played out.

As Woody Allen's alter ego, Allan Felix, Colin Coates oozes with just the right amounts of gullibility, naivete and sweetness to make the play purr along on the wings of Allen's witty and glib movie-time obsessions. Coates is a class act. And so is everyone else.

As Dick's wife, Linda, Megan Conelly is a solid performer who tosses off some clever dialogue with the timing of a pro. A pro, too, in timing and delivery is Paul Malikowski as Linda's workaholic hubby. The three actors (Coates, Conelly and Malikowski) spend a great deal of time on stage together and are central to making the play come off as a slick comedy to be reckoned with. Also giving one great big assist in all this fun is George Triplett who creates a more than reasonable facsimile of Bogey the star, Bogey the presence, and Bogey the tough guy purveyor of romantic advice.

Then there are the play's delicious vignettes.

Nicole Bracco scores as the seductress Vanessa and the giggly Go-Go Girl who really does deserve that smack in the mouth Bogey advises. Gina Aramanda deserves a big boo for walking out on her loving husband, Allan, but she's too good a bad girl to boo. Joan Varley (Sharon) is a sharp-tongued, post-marriage first date for Allan. Shannon Wilson (Intellectual Girl) is quite good at being the perfect downer as the girl Allan pursues while she describes her feelings viewing a Jackson Pollack painting. Then there's Shelby Adams as Barbara, who happens into Allan's life by an accident of geography. It's an accident Miss Adams makes the most of.

The set designed by Doug Mishler and Anne Stewart, it's Allan's apartment, is the garrish confusion Allan would like. The costumes, for the most part, are on target.

"Play It Again, Sam" can be seen at the Hug High School Little Theater, 2880 Sutro Street (at McCarran Boulevard), Reno, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m., September 17-September 26, 2004. For information call 775-329-0661.