Review: THE WAR OF THE ROSES Stage Adaption Makes Its North American Premiere at Delaware Theatre Company.

As explained to me by a Family law attorney, divorce is as simple as waking up one day and realizing you like tea and he likes coffee, and you hate coffee. While the reasons for a once so in love couple to grow apart can vary greatly, the end result is the same, damage, in one form or another, to the individuals involved. Warren Adler's stage adaptation of his novel THE WAR OF THE ROSES leaves audiences feeling damaged, in one form or another.

THE WAR OF THE ROSES is probably best known as a 1989 American black comedy film starring Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas based upon the 1981 novel by Adler. The story is simple: Boy and Girl meet, they (instantly) fall in love, get married, have children, and devote time and energy to everything else but the marriage. Now, divorce in and of itself isn't evil, but when two grown adults allow material possessions (in this case, an elegantly appointed home) to become the centerpiece of the battle royal, nothing good can happen.

Jonathan Rose (Jack Noseworthy), a successful Washington DC lobbyist and collector of Staffordshire figurines, is a typical uninvolved husband and father whose life quickly turns into a mashup of American Horror Story and American Gladiators after his wife, Barbara, files for divorce. Barbara Rose (Christine DeCicco), the homemaker and aspiring pâté mogul, springboards into a harsh, unyielding, and semi-maniacal She-Devil. The twenty-somethings meet at an auction, where Jonathan's attempts to purchase a set of figurines fall short due to Barbara outbidding him on the matching piece. If Jonathan was looking for a strong woman, then he certainly found her. But, could he have even imaged the lengths by which she is willing to fight for what she wants?

The story is told mainly through recounted scenes that are initially set-up by the individual spouse consulting with his or her divorce attorney about the latest (re)action of the other to then-current conditions. And, aside from the couple's first meeting, the heart of the action centers on a very short period - the time during which the children are at summer camp. Back stories are fleeting, leaving the lead actors in the precarious position of engaging the audience immediately in the hope that the action on stage will speak for itself, without thought, and everyone that has strapped into a seat will enjoy the two act thrill ride. Ms. DeCicco and Mr. Noseworthy neatly work through the obstacles to gain the audience's affection. A slight tweaking by the playwright could provide the lead actors with heightened verbal offerings to compliment the physical comedy.

The characters of attorneys Thurmont (Cameron Folmar) and Goldstein {Lenny Volpe) are the witty highlights of the show. Whether it be Thurman's latest sporting togs or Goldstein's Jewish honed proverbs, these two supporting characters (and, I truly mean, characters), redeem the somewhat lackluster writing of the leads. Both men are an absolute treat every time they step on stage. Ensemble members Adam Altman, Eric Kramer, Brian McCann, Kerry Kristine McElrone and Karen Peakes play multiple roles with memorable moments. Their largest task is tightly executed during the play's most gratuitous physical comedy bit during the dinner scene.

Bud Martin effectively divides the stage with a large proscenium drop to allow the exquisitely appointed mansion interior, courtesy of Scenic Designer, Paul Tate DePoo III, to be lusciously revealed to rousing applause. The original music by Broken Chord aptly included lower strings stridently digging into a rhythmic pulse to amplify The Devilish doings.

The comedy in THE WAR OF THE ROSES relies upon one's ability to accept engagement in premeditated, mean-spiriTed Shenanigans designed to lay waste upon the divorce battlefield. The script shows its age with wild, unruly antics of divorcing couples no longer shocking our sensibilities. I can't help noting that a good amount of the dialog involving the ensemble is unkind and confrontational with women being the tormentors in many instances.

Black comedy isn't for everyone, thus making THE WAR OF THE ROSES, in any of its formats, a hit or miss. There are those who can appreciate the dark, malicious deeds of divorcing spouses Jonathan and Barbara Rose, and then there are those who find such truly despicable actions void of any entertainment value. My companion to Delaware Theater Company's opening night of ROSES falls in the latter category. I agree with him, in part.

THE WAR OF THE ROSES
Delaware Theatre Company
200 Water Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
302.594.1100
www.delawaretheatre.org
Runs Sept 14 to Oct 2

Photos courtesy of Matt Urban

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