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What do the squeals and shrieks of a human orgasm sound like to others listening through the wall?
Certainly nearly everyone who has partaken of that rite of survival of the species thinks they know what that might sound like.
Not so fast. Something else more mundane might be under way.
Playwright Michael Frayn makes much of just such a misconception in his farce of human foibles and follies, “Alarms and Excursions,” currently staged by Hampton Theatre Company in Quogue.
In two acts and five sketches—only two are related by plot points—Mr. Frayn plucks our awareness of the frequent absurdity of human behavior not only when we interact with each other, but also with inanimate objects, which are definitely out to get us. The result is a madcap two hours of lightness and laughter with a nimble cast of four under the brisk direction of HTC artistic director Diana Marbury. For those old enough to remember—that would be most of the audience in Quogue—think Lucy and Desi and Fred and Ethel of “I Love Lucy.” Mr. Frayn’s work here is just that silly.
He is best known for “Copenhagen,” a serious work about the rationale for making an atomic bomb and for which he won a Tony, and “Noises Off,” a farce, that was previously staged by HTC.
The highlight of this staging of “Alarms and Excursions” is the second act, which puts two couples (Andrew Botsford and Jane Lowe; George Loizides and Rosemary Cline) in hotel rooms that are down-to-the-pillow-slip duplicates of each other. (As we have come to expect, the sets by Ms. Marbury and her son, Sean, are handsome and detailed.)
The twosomes interact not only with each other, but also the hotel room itself, couple to couple, as well as woman to woman, and man to man. At times, they mirror each other, but not quite—yet enough so that we see how similarly all we humans might respond to the surprise, of say, a trouser press in our hotel room. Okay, that’s a throwback to an earlier era, making “Alarms and Excursions” a 1998 period piece set specifically in Britain. Over here, I’ll venture that such an accoutrement in a mid-priced hotel room even a decade ago was nearly nonexistent. Instead, one called room service and the offending trousers were taken away to be returned perfectly pressed.
The skit drags a little—a running gag about what the couples are named goes nowhere—but the aforementioned orgasmic scene is worth the wait. What do most people remember about “When Harry Met Sally”? Meg Ryan’s demonstration in a deli of a woman faking an orgasm. The same will be true here, as Mr. Botsford and Ms. Lowe carry it off with knowing panache.
When the farce was performed in England, much was made of our being in thrall to modern technology, such as answering machines and smoke detectors that won’t stop beeping. Yet here and now, the opening skit, which deals with gadgets gone wild, seems less than fresh, and not just because the technology has advanced. Perhaps that is because the skit goes on too long.
Miscommunication among humans is the subject of the next spoof as a couple go several rounds about a simple household problem. With Mr. Frayn’s smart dialogue knotting farce and satire together flawlessly, Mr. Loizides and Ms. Cline hilariously demonstrate how inexactitude leads to stupefaction and thus, exasperation. Many a long-married couple will recognize themselves here and again throughout the evening.
The real charmer in the first act is a short but brilliant discourse between Mr. Botsford and Ms. Lowe in which they complete each other’s sentences. The two actors are extremely well paired; their timing is exquisite.
HTC knows its audience well, and chooses plays to suit. HTC is not the place for edgy, experimental theater, though that is not to say that all of the selections are akin to cotton candy; some are thoughtful dramas about the human condition. “Clybourne Park,” an examination of race relations, that HTC staged a few years ago, was one such offering.
“Alarms and Excursions” is not of that ilk. This is one to see because live theater by a competent troupe nearby is like having friends by to perform in your living room, and because this fizzy froth is, simply put: fun.
“Alarms and Excursions” continues at Quogue Community Hall, 125 Jessup Avenue, Quogue, through June 11, Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m, except for Saturday, June 3, when a 6:30 p.m. benefit performance is planned, preceded by wine and hors d’oeuvres at the theater and followed by a cocktail buffet at the Quogue Field Club. An additional matinée is planned Saturday, June 10, at 2:30 p.m. Show tickets are $30, with discounts available for seniors 65 and older, those under 35, and students, available by calling 866-811-4111 or visiting hamptontheatre.org. Tickets to the benefit are $175 each or $300 for a pair, available by calling 631-653-8955 or online by Tuesday, May 30.
on May 28, 2017