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Sunday, December 14, 2008
Simons tackles multiple characters in one-man 'Committed'
By Barry Gaines
For the Journal
Hal Simons has experience in one-man shows that include multiple characters.
At the Vortex in 2006 he played a couple of dozen people in Doug Wright's powerful “I Am My Own Wife.”
Currently at the Adobe Theater the multitalented Simons portrays 40 characters in the humorous “Fully Committed” by Becky Mode. He does them well. The setting is a shabby, windowless office downstairs from an impossibly exclusive restaurant.
Director Paul Barlow designed the single set that is crowded with boxes and dominated by telephones.
Within this modest setting Sam Peliczowski takes reservations, a day job to pay the bills while he waits to make it as an actor. He seems always to be speaking to someone.
There is an intercom that connects him to the restaurant proper — to Stephanie, the British luncheon hostess; Jean-Claude, the French maitre d'; Oscar, the Lebanese business manager; and Hector, the Dominican line cook in the kitchen.
There is a special separate red phone that connects exclusively to the Chef, the self-important “international culinary sensation” who runs the restaurant with an iron whisk. He cancels an appointment with “Gourmet” magazine because the writer once disparaged his bouillabaisse.
There is another telephone on the wall where Sam makes his personal calls: to his father in South Bend, and to Curtis, his theatrical agent's assistant.
And finally there is the constantly ringing, multiline main phone terminal where Sam deftly places callers on hold until he can get to them.
These callers make up much of the play's slight story.
There is Mrs. Sebag who is on the edge of hysteria because Sam can't find her weekend reservation.
Or syrupy Mrs. Winslow from Louisville who wants a table even though the restaurant is booked — I mean “fully committed.” She explains, “We are two teeny tiny people.”
Bryce calls on behalf of supermodel Naomi Campbell who wants a “no-fat, no-salt, no-dairy, no-sugar, no-chicken, no-meat, no-fish, no-soy tasting menu for fifteen.”
With accents, facial expressions, and gestures, Hal Simons portrays all of these characters and more. Rick Huff, Mike Langner, and Chris Love who worked on the sound in this production deserve special notice. They keep the phones ringing and supply the necessary sound effects.
“Fully Committed” is as frothy as whipped holiday eggnog but with more yolks.
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