OCTOBER 1, 1993

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

21

ENTERTAINMENT

Men's natural affection fades under lack of wit and bravado

Gus and Al

by Albert Innurato

Dobama Theatre through Oct. 17

Reviewed by Barry Daniels

The protagonist of Albert Innaurato's Gus and Al, currently playing at Dobama Theatre, is a fat, gay, New York playwright named Albert Innaurato, who has received devastating reviews for his new play, Coming of Age in Soho. How does our playwright deal with the negative press for his previous production? He writes himself into a new fantasy comedy in which Al, foiled in his suicide attempts by his caring roommate, a talking gorilla named Kafka, escapes the present by using a time machine invented by Kafka. He lands in the Viennese apartment of composer Gustav Mahler in the year 1901.

Mahler, like Al, has received generally bad reviews for his work. The two fortyyear-old misunderstood artists become fast friends. Mahler, a bachelor, is looked after by his sister Justine and his devoted, but spinsterish assistant, Natalie Bauer Lechner. When free spirit and liberated woman Alma Shindler literally swims into the scene, she captivates Mahler. The plot complicates as Natalie and Alma do battle over possession of Mahler. Freud makes an appearance to help Mahler overcome the one stumbling block-premature ejaculation—to his marriage with Alma.

Gus and Al is a difficult play to stage. Innaurato is striving for a style that lies somewhere between Oscar Wilde and Joe

Orton. This requires a kind of comic brilliance and bravado that is not within the of director Ron Newell's cast. This is range especially a problem with the women whose roles are misogynist stereotypes. Carol Laursen's Natalie is suitably prim but unfortunately colorless except in her final scenes with Al. Paula Bartkowitz as stolid Justine, who wants her brother married to anyone so she will be free to marry on her own, plays with a singular lack of variety. As Alma, Peggy Johns tries so hard to convince us she is a temptress that we don't. believe her for a minute.

The male roles are more fully realized by the playwright, and actors Mark Hudak (Gus) and Tom Fahey (Al) often nicely portray the reality of their characters, although, like the women, they do not find an appropriate comic style for their roles.

Though the play focuses on a heterosexual triangle, the weaknesses and strengths of the Dobama production reveal what may well be the playwright's real meaning. The natural affection between the two men is portrayed in a series of key scenes in which they share their feelings and thoughts: these are the most effective scenes in Newell's production. This helps clarify that Gus and Al(bert) form the true couple, while Gus and Al(ma) represent the socially acceptable couple. Mahler is the weak character, who must renounce his true sexuality much as he renounced his Judaism. Such closeted structures have been the common strategy of gay playwrights who hoped to write for mainstream audiences. Unfortunately, Newell has not considered the possibilities

for playing this meaning in a way that would be more in line with the current atmosphere of "outness."

the

Where Dobama Theatre production succeeds, it conveys the warmth and of honesty Innaurato's writing of the scenes between the two men. Also well done is an odd kind of love scene between Al and Freud's Italian gardener, nicely played by the slightly miscast, patrician-looking, Eric Coble. It starts in ogling and sexual innuendo and ends with an affectionate nonsexual kiss. But

HERBERT ASCHERMAN, JR.

Misunderstood artists: Al (Tom Fahey, top) and Gus (Mark Hudak, bottom) enjoy each other's company in Albert Innaurato's comedy Gus and Al, playing at Dobama Theatre.

this is the stuff of drama. What the production does not successfully do is make us laugh. The actors do not connect with Innaurato's off-center sense of humor, and they fail to capture his tone which is a polished amalgam of high style wit and contemporary frankness. Gus and Al is a daring choice for the opening production of

Dobama's twenty-fifth season. Although not totally devoid of interest, the production lacks the necessary sparkle and fizz: it is rather like being confronted with a good champagne that has gone decidedly flat.

Performances of Gus and Al continue at Dobama Theatre through October 17. For info and reservations phone 932-6838.

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