Review: Desert Theatreworks's Presentation of Neil Simon's Comedy LAUGHTER ON THE 23rd FLOOR is Side-Splitting.

Question: What Coachella Valley production is so manic, and so loaded with physical and verbal comedy that audience members risk exhausting themselves with bouts of uproarious laughter? The answer is Neil Simon's autobiographical LAUGHTER ON THE 23rd FLOOR, as presented by Desert Theatreworks (DTW), which provides a side-splitting few hours of theatre.

LAUGHTER ON THE 23rd FLOOR, which takes place in 1953, is not-so-loosely based on the mayhem in the writers' room for Sid Caesar's comedy-variety series, YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS. Neil Simon, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Larry Gelbart, Mel Tolkin, and others managed to put out a live, two-hour program every week that topped the ratings among sophisticated East Coast viewers, although it tanked in more conservative locations.

In the play, Max Prince and his writing staff are a family, albeit a highly dysfunctional one, working to put out the weekly "Max Prince Show." The network wants Max to dumb the show down for Midwestern and Southern audiences, and to spend less money on production. Max is unraveling both from the stress and from popping tranquilizers, washed them down with liquor, as if they were M&Ms and milk. The writers worry about Max's well-being, they worry that he and they will drive each other crazy, and they worry that Joseph McCarthy will destroy the United States. The question is whether they can save Max's tuches - and their own - without killing each other.

Not all directors could pull this talky play off. Lance Phillips-Martinez once told Broadway World that he loves movement theatre, where action is highly choreographed. Assistant director Stephen Caldwell said that Mr. Phillips-Martinez devised most of the stage business. The brilliant direction in LAUGHTER ON THE 23rd FLOOR creates visual humor that richly complements the dialogue. When Ira (Mike Olton) throws an ethnic insult against the Irish Brian Doyle (Stephen McMillen), Ira accompanies it with leprechaun-like dance steps, upping the insult and the humor. During passionate group arguments, of which there are many in the play, the character at stage left points to the character at stage right. The other participants in the scene turn their heads in unison. It sounds boring in print, and it takes longer to describe than to do, but the result is another laugh.

Mr. Phillips-Martinez has also obviously worked hard with the cast to ensure not only that the actors pay attention to their voice inflections and movements, but also to their facial expressions. His hands-on approach has certainly paid off in the hilarity generated specifically by one actor's or another's face.

Mr. Phillips-Martinez told Broadway World that he had done a massive amount of research on the writers of YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS. For one thing, he researched where they came from to ensure that their fictional counterparts employ a similar mix of regional and foreign accents to the actual team. Stephen McMillan, for example, does a bang-up Irish brogue.

The cast of LAUGHTER ON THE 23rd FLOOR includes several Desert Theatreworks veterans. Audiences know to expect top-notch work from the regulars, and they deliver. The newer performers also include terrific actors, but two of them deserve special mention. Mike Olton, as the hypochondriac Ira, reminds me of the late Abe Vigoda in his ability to project a basset hound air. Arnie Kleban, who bears a resemblance to Mel Brooks, both physically and comedically, all but steals the show as Max, the comic genius who himself is meshuggeh, and who does his best to make sure his writers also become that way. Hopefully, DTW audiences will see more of Mr. Kleban's and Mr. Olton's work in the future.

Ron Phillips-Martinez, Desert Theatreworks's Chief Executive Officer and Lance's husband, did a superb job designing the sets. A manual typewriter sits on a metal desk that has been repaired with period-correct black-electrical tape. Hidden around the set are things that might be found in an office filled with eccentrics. Even the items that are never mentioned in the play serve a purpose to get the audience thinking about the characters; I would love to know the back story behind the stethoscope hanging on the wall.

I can think of only two groups of people who might want to avoid this production: Those who cannot tolerate rough language, and those who fear the physical effects of excessive laughter. Everyone else needs to order their tickets before any more shows are sold out.

The rest of the cast consists of Stephee Bonifacio (Helen), Ed Lefkowitz (Milt), Jason Lewis (Val), Tanner Lieser (Kenny), Tiffani LoBue (Carol), and Mason McIntosh (Lucas). The other members of the production crew are Michele Dobson (costumes), Don Earl Jr. (assistant stage manager), Angus Feath (sound board), Janelle Kauffman (stage manager), Kay Kudukis (light board), and Peter Nicholson (comedy coach).

LAUGHTER ON THE 23rd FLOOR will run through February 7, 2016, at the Arthur Newman Theatre, in the Joslyn Senior Center, 73-750 Catalina Way, Palm Desert CA, 92260. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm, and Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.dtworks.org, in person at the Joslyn Center, and by phone at 760-980-1455. General admission is $26; senior admission is $24, and student admission (with i.d.) is $16. Groups of 8 or more should call the box office at 760-980-1455.

DTW is a 501(c)(3) organization which recently obtained a license to use the "Playbill" name and logo on its programs.

The final two productions in Desert Theatreworks' 2015-16 season are:

CLUE THE MUSICAL
Based on the popular board game with over 200 possible endings.
March 11-20, 2016

and

OTHER DESERT CITIES
The Broadway family drama set in Palm Springs.
April 8-17, 2016

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