The Gingerbread Lady
The Gingerbread Lady
By Neil Simon
Directed by Tom Larkin
Starring Cira Larkin and Jenny Ornstein
Breakthrough Theatre, Winter Park, FL</strong>
While Neil Simon is best known for his comedies, he can write a heart breaker if he tries. Evy Mera (Larkin) just got back from drying out; it cost her $4500 in pre-inflation spare change. He last job was about two years ago as a lounge singer in Pittsburg, she set a record by falling off the stool 17 times and probably spilled th tip jar. Her strongest friends are the sexually unavailable Jimmy (Bob Brandenburg) and the incredibly vain Toby (Vicki Burns). They await her return and prepare a non-alcoholic reunion. This keeps Evy stays on the wagon for a few hours, but soon she has to shop and the pain of life returns along with her abusive deadbeat boyfriend Lou Tanner (Jim Cundiff). While she flirts with the delivery boy (Justin Scarlat), alienates Toby and chases off Jimmy, her daughter Polly (Ornstein) shows up and moves in. Polly’s just 17 but wise in the ways of world as only a writer can make a child, but she battles it out with mom until they reach a dry detente. Honestly, I can see them ten years hence, living with windows blacked out, men a distant memory and a weekly airdrop from Total Wine. If only they can figure out how to finance their addiction to misery…
This inverted “Days of Wine and Roses” works surprisingly well, there are a few punch out gags in the first act but the second act is decidedly more interesting: not only is Evy sinking, she’s pulling down the life guard as a well. Larkin feels world weary and even when she she’s flirting with the delivery boy you can tell its bluster. Ornstein’s text might be a bit unrealistic she does an excellent job of reining it in and making us believe she’s older. Brandenburg is wonderfully scatterbrained as the stereotypic late 1960’s “Theatrically Acceptable Gay,” and the normally gentle Cundiff makes the transition a deadbeat wife beater with the addition of a serious ’70s porn ‘stash. My absolute favorite was Ms. Burns and her obsessive nose powdering, she’s convinced herself that perfect makeup and designer dresses would keep the boobs bouncy and none of boys will notice she reeks of lavender powder. This is a nice revival of an obscure play by a man not known for dark drama and it’s well-executed in the most intimate setting in town.
For more information, please visit http://www.breakthroughtheatre.com or look them up on Facebook.
