The Last Schwartz
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Safier, Walker, Huckaby
Photo by Ed Krieger
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By Joseph N. Feinstein
Reading reviews can influence someone's decision to see a show. Reviews often determine what we expect to see. For The Last Schwartz, now appearing at the Zephyr Theatre for an extended run into March, the Washington Times offered us such words as "rollicking" and "thoughtful." The Miami Herald said it is "often hilariously funny." I'm here to tell you that it is not any of these things. Its major themes concern adultery, abortion, smoking dope, excessive drinking, the petty jealousies of dividing the fortunes of the father's estate, the domineering older sister bending everyone to her will, and a ditzy but gorgeous blonde one of the brothers is dating. None of these things are laughter producing, rollicking, or genuinely thoughtful. True, the Kaddish (prayer for the dead) is rendered not once but twice during the play, and that could sober anyone. Moreover, can anyone explain how an autistic, brother can create peals of hilarity as we watch him prance around in a space suit, waiting for the end of the world?
Deborah Zoe Laufer wrote the play, attempting to portray the plight of one Jewish family. Raised in their home in the Catskill mountains, home to Eastern Jews escaping the oppressive heat of New York in the summer, this family has kept secrets and harbored true feelings and resentments toward their parents and each other for a very long time. Not very funny.
Act II loses complete sight of why the family came together, as Ms. Laufer takes us on a completely new jaunt. While elder sister Norma (Valerie Perri) remains constantly agitating and irritating throughout, brother Herb (Alan Safier) alters his dominant stand at the beginning of the play to become a total nebbish in the second act. What's happening between Bonnie (Pamela Gaye Walker), Herb's wife and his brother, Gene (Roy Abramsohn), may, indeed, have startled the elderly Jewish crowd at our performance. The end of this play may just be one of the very worst I have seen this decade, for it has nothing to do with anything that preceded it.
The one bright spot was the interesting direction by Lee Sankowich. He has the characters moving about the stage - both off an on - reacting to each other with much pent-up emotion. Kathi O'Donohue's lighting is quite effective in helping set the mood for the different times of day and night. And, whoever found Steffany Huckaby, who plays the sexy, ditzy Kia, deserves a medal for helping me stay awake each moment she was on.
Frankly, I think most of the audience enjoyed the play.( I wonder what it is about the use of the "F" word which produces such laughter?) You still have lots of time to see this dysfunctional family in action.
The Last Schwartz The Zephyr Theatre 7456 Melrose Avenue Los Angeles 90046 Tel. 323-960-7789
Playing Thursday - Saturday @ 8:00 p.m.; Sunday @ 2:00 p.m. $25-$30 Until Dec. 16 with a reopening in early January - March.
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