Pauline Adamek
***
Is The Catholic Girl”™s Guide to Losing Your Virginity a one-woman show or is it a two-hander play? Now playing at the Falcon Theatre in Toluca Lake, and written by and starring Anne Hendy, this light comedy feels somehow as if it is both. Or perhaps it began life as a one-woman show but later was expanded?
Review by Pauline Adamek
Whatever the case, The Catholic Girl”™s Guide to Losing Your Virginity starts off well, with its first two scenes involving two actors, but quickly reverts back to its true core, a one-woman confessional with direct to audience address. Thankfully, the introspective monologues are kept to a minimum and there are plenty of great scenes between our hapless heroine and a motley assortment of men who might prove to be the recipient of her virtue.
Cyrus Alexander is the guy playing all the other male roles – and even one hilarious woman in drag – and he gives an exceptional performance throughout the evening. A highlight is a scene where our Mid-western virgin participates in an evening of “˜speed dating”™. This calls for a virtuoso exercise in lightning-quick costume changes from Alexander as he whizzes through a parade of deviants and weirdos. Hendy”™s play is a gift to any talented male actor, seeing as he gets to play so many diverse roles. Alexander is so brilliant as each of his distinct characters that he almost overshadows our leading lady and playwright. Director Gregg W. Brevoort deserves some credit for eliciting superb performances from his cast, given the slight material.
One aspect of the staging was a bit awkward, with our leading lady all but grunting as she shifted a central, padded bench set-piece around the stage that seems unnecessarily weighty given its apparent need for mobility. The remaining sets of solid-looking, semi-arch shaped “˜brick”™ walls, designed by Keith Mitchell, served their purpose.
While mildly amusing, Hendy”™s play doesn”™t offer much that is revelatory about a Catholic woman”™s guilt, sexual repression, conscience-wrestling and ultimate sexual liberation. But it does provide some funny and poignant scenes and proves a pleasant diversion.
The Catholic Girl”™s Guide to Losing Your Virginity
4252 Riverside Drive in Burbank,
CA 91505
Performances:
Runs until Sunday, March 6, 2011
Wed.””Sat. at 8pm, Sundays at 4pm
Running time:
Approximately 90 minutes, no intermission
TICKETS:
$29.50 – $32.00
Box Office:
Purchase tickets here or call (818) 955-8101
The Falcon Theatre is a 130-seat performing arts space located in the Burbank, California media district. Built by Director/Writer/Producer Garry Marshall and his daughter Kathleen Marshall, the Falcon offers a 5-play subscription series from August through April, in addition to annual summer productions. The Falcon Theatre is located at 4252 Riverside Drive in Burbank, California.
Terry Morgan
