LYRIC’S “BOEING BOEING” LAUNCHES HILARIOUS PHYSICAL FRENCH FARCE AIRBORNE

By Clif Warren

Ready for a comedy that will make your week soar? “Boeing Boeing” now into its second week at Lyric at the Plaza is your ticket. The Marc Camoletti, Americanized (translation by Beverley Cross and Francis Evans) French farce takes off with jet speed, and the trip is non-stop to the center of hilarity, which in this case just happens to lead to a gorgeous mid-century apartment in Paris. The place has that modern well-edited look, with every element of décor exactly where it should—a prime example of what all the young couples pine for from the latest home magazines.

Designed by the amazing Christopher Domanski, the apartment has its entrance doorway located up three mid-stage steps from the main performance area to double doors where sightlines lead the audience’s view to a resplendently lighted Eiffel Tower off in the background: the bachelor pad of a guy’s dreams.  Here resides the handsome architect, Bernard (Matthew Montelongo), who has a passion for airline stewardesses—international ones.

Bernard is such a keen guy that he has studied the international flight schedules carefully and managed to work out his own timetable: When one lovely stewardess (he is currently “engaged” to three) leaves his apartment for her next flight, another arrives to replace her. Consequently, his life is filled with continual romance, variety and excitement. Bernard’s cook and housekeeper, droll and savvy Bertha (Lyn Cramer) keeps the household in working order by quickly changing the pictures, personal items, even the menus to suit the taste of each of the ladies.

All works well up until the time that Robert (Matthew Alvin Brown), an old college friend of Bernard, happens to drop in for an extended stay. Robert is amazed at the set up. A nerdy and passive type, Bernard never experienced women like these: the flamboyant American Gloria (Kristy Cates), with her sexy shimmy and come hither Texas drawl, who flies for (now defunct) TWA ; the voluptuous Gabriella (Kristi Forsch), with Al Italia, who smothers Bernard with kisses and coos with her seductive Italian accent; and athletic and strong, Gretchen (Lexi Windsor), from Lufthansa, a take-charge type, who commands the men to love or not love her, depending on her mood.

Scheduling mishaps start almost immediately when Boeing, which furnishes all the airlines with planes, starts flying faster jets. Managing the arrivals and departures of the women is madness and also makes for manic merriment. All seven doors—the entrance and doors to six rooms now open and shut in split second relief—with rattled Robert often having to assume the role of standby lover.

Just when the pace of “Boeing Boeing” appears at optimal level, the actions become even more hectic. The acting of all involved requires highly individual characteristics and mannerisms developed by each performer to provide the needed comic effects.

Matthew Montelongo, with matinee idol looks and a strong presence, anchors the play well as Bernard, for he quite subtly applies a slightly different technique and demeanor with each woman. Sophistication is what he must project at all times, and he carries that off with élan.

Kristi Cates’s Gloria bustles with enthusiasm and roll-with-the-punches panache. She makes each moment count as all eyes center on her. She is Texas-big and lots of fun, especially when she changes her man-focus at the end. In contrast to Gloria, the sweeping, majestic movements of Kristi Forsch as Gabriella, with her carefully modulated vocal tones, absolutely ooze femininity.

Lexi Windsor’s antic demeanor as Gretchen indicates a total immersion into her comic creation with all the possible physical trickery, vocal tics and projection in tact. As her multi-role performance last season in City Rep’s  “The 39 Steps” proved, this young lady is sheer magic on stage. Her perfect performance here in “Boeing  Boeing” is another tour de force, as is that of Matthew Alvin Brown, who is so thin he appears all arms and legs like Buster Keaton at times, and he is so masterful and crafty in each scene he does not miss a beat.

Michael Baron’s expert direction keeps the scenes fast and focused and the comic performance shadings quite individualistic, and his smart choice of master choreographer Lyn Cramer in the gem of a role as the wary Bertha must have been clairvoyant.

–

Clifton Warren, who holds a Ph. D. in comparative literature and letters from Indiana University, is a former chairman of the English Department at Oklahoma City University, and former dean of the Liberal Arts college at University of Central Oklahoma, where he established an M.A. degree in creative studies.  He is also a recipient of a Governor’s Arts award.