Review: SYLVIA: The Lady Is A Tramp

Sylvia

Written by A.R. Gurney, Directed by Michelle M. Aguillon; Costume Design, Anna Silva; Lighting Design, Michael Clark Wonson; Sound Design, Chris Brousseau; Stage Manager, Kailey Bennett; Assistant Stage Manager, Jon Pease; Publicity/Photography, David Costa

CAST (in order of appearance): Shana Dirik, Allan Mayo, Kimberly McClure, David Anderson

Performances through April 21 by Theater UnCorked at Deane Hall, Calderwood Pavilion at Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont Street, Boston, MA; Box Office 617-933-8600 or www.theateruncorked.com

Theater UnCorked drains the bottle of its inaugural season this weekend with a fully-staged production of Sylvia, prolific playwright A.R. Gurney's homage to man's best friend. Hilarious and heartwarming in equal measure, the play is a welcome respite from the spate of heftier, more serious dramatic works meant to resonate with our times and make us think. The only thing that Gurney wants us to think about is the inescapable joy shared between a man and his dog, and how their connection changes three lives and one marriage for the better.

In simple terms, Sylvia is about a found dog, the Manhattan empty-nesters who adopt her, and the comedy that ensues. However, the overlay applied by Director Michelle M. Aguillon and her sparkling cast of Shana Dirik (Sylvia), Allan Mayo (Greg), Kimberly McClure (Kate), and David Anderson (Tom/Phyllis/Leslie), brings out the colors of autumn in New York, the sounds of pets playing in the park, and the scents that arouse curiosity, suspicion, and mistrust. A simple set is furnished with eclectic, contemporary pieces, and Michael Clark Wonson's lighting design helps the space morph from luxury apartment to park bench to therapist's office. Designer Chris Brousseau provides the sounds of the city, and Anna Silva goes to town with her adorable costumes designed to dress up a lab/poodle mix like a fashionista.

Mayo organically captures Greg's malaise as a middle-aged man on the downhill side of an unfulfilling career who lacks the will to fix his circumstances, until he receives a canine shot of adrenaline. When Sylvia bounds into his life, Greg is smitten, and Mayo's animation and energy level correspondingly increase. Kate is the grounded one, the grownup in the picture, and McClure does a fine job of garnering sympathy as her character is backed into a corner and competes with a dog to save her marriage. In a trio of diverse roles, Anderson shows his range as macho guy in the park, Kate's sympathetic uptown college girlfriend, and gender-fluid therapist.

Supported by the strong performances of the human characters, Dirik is truly the top dog in Sylvia. Talk about adrenaline, she explodes onto the stage in the opening scene, caroming from pillar to post, sniffing every object at a dog's nose level with a puppy's manic energy. Her joy in her new home is infectious, transmitting to Greg and the audience. (Full disclosure: I am not a dog person, but I wanted to take Sylvia home with me.) While Gurney anthropomorphizes Sylvia, Aguillon and Dirik are savvy enough to showcase her animal behavior in the early going, gradually allowing her to grow into an almost human companion and sounding board for Greg. Sometimes Sylvia is all about her animal instincts, and Dirik's take on portraying a dog in heat is nothing like Lady and The Tramp. However, most of the time, Sylvia's heart belongs to Daddy, and Dirik and Mayo share a genuine bond of affection. In her scenes with McClure, Dirik offers a fun glimpse into the mind of the dog begging to be liked while remaining wary of her competition. At odds from the start, both actors convince us that their journey leads to a peaceful coexistence.

Theater UnCorked has taken its audiences on a wild ride during this first season. From murder and mayhem (Sweeney Todd), to mental illness and mayhem (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest), to a mutt and marital mayhem (Sylvia), there seems to be a message in this mad method. Be on the lookout for more mayhem in November when season two kicks off with Ruthless! The Musical. Until then, only two performances of Sylvia remain (tonight is sold out) and there might be a dogfight for tickets for the Sunday matinee.

Photo credit: David Costa (Allan Mayo, Kimberly McClure, Shana Dirik)

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