Review: THE CEMETERY CLUB at Connecticut Cabaret Theatre

On Friday, June 9, I had the pleasure of seeing THE CEMETERY CLUB at Connecticut Cabaret Theatre in Berlin, CT. This two act play, brilliantly written by Ivan Menchell, is primarily a comedy, but also contains moments of deep emotional drama. These transitions of mood were successfully produced on stage by an extremely talented cast under director Kris McMurray who consistently brings out the best in the first-rate performers at Connecticut Cabaret Theatre.

The audience was deeply captivated and highly entertained throughout this entire performance, evidenced by consistent laughter during the comedic scenes, and tears during the scenes in which the actresses successfully created the intended traumatic mood.

It is clear that all five cast members enjoy performing their roles and have excellent stage chemistry with each other. The high believability of all the characters reflects a combination of excellent writing, directing, and acting.

The play begins in the living room of Ida, who is magnificently portrayed by Barbara Horan. Ida had been widowed for about two years, and after much thought has decided to consider the possibility of beginning a new romantic relationship. Ida is a very realistic and believable character. Barbara Horan convincingly shows the emotions of excited, indifferent, confused, angry, and sullen, while always keeping Ida likeable as a strong central protagonist.

Karen Gagliardi shines in her portrayal of Ida's flamboyant friend Lucille whose boisterousness draws the audience's attention whenever she is on stage. Behind the entertainingly gregarious and comedic blunt personality of Lucille, however, is a deeper emotional side that unmasks the human frailty behind her seemingly self-assured exterior, both in terms of anger and deep sadness. Karen Gagliardi is extremely impressive with her ability to realistically portray this myriad of emotions, while making the audience crack up in laughter, but also feel her pain.

The comedic duo dynamics between Ida and Lucille are reminiscent of classic sitcoms that genuinely entertain with well delivered back and forth between two different personalities that gel together in a complementary way. Actresses Barbara Horan and Karen Gagliardi play off each other extremely well, as if they have been acting together for years.

The duo becomes a trio when their busybody friend Doris enters Ida's living room. Tracy Costa thrives in her portrayal of the often deliberately unpleasant Doris, an antagonistic character with a meddling, gossipy, know-it-all, self-righteous personality. Most people likely know someone like Doris, which makes Tracy Costa's strong acting performance all the more powerful.

This trio of widowed Jewish friends makes monthly trips to the cemetery, together, to visit their late husbands' graves. While Ida and Doris reminisce fondly about their late husbands, Lucille takes a more sarcastically disdainful attitude towards her husband, making it clear that she was not happy with her husband's aloofness during their marriage.

Likeable widower Sam is brought to life by actor Russell Fish, who excellently conveys Sam's realistic expressions and emotions through likely mannerisms. While Lucille tries to flirt with Sam, it becomes evident that Sam's attention is more directed at Ida. When Sam and Ida begin to date, and plan to attend a mutual friend's wedding, together, Lucille and Doris try to sabotage this new relationship, Lucille likely out of jealousy. Doris initially tries to play off her feelings of disdain for Ida's new potential romance as springing from a strongly held belief that new relationships for the widowed are dishonorable to the memory of their late spouses.

After some additional comic relief provided by actress Bonnie Sprague, and some alcoholically enhanced initially farcical dynamics between Ida, Lucille, and Doris, the show has a strong and emotionally intense conclusion, unique for what is primarily a comedy, yet a conclusion that will leave the audience marveling at how well this story was written, directed, and performed.

I highly recommend THE CEMETERY CLUB, which will continue to run at the Connecticut Cabaret Theatre in Berlin, CT. every Friday and Saturday at 8:00 P.M., through June 24.

http://events.ctnow.com/events/view/380576/the_cemetery_club.html

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