The ’70s Broadway success “Last of the Red Hot Lovers” made its way to MSU last weekend, much to the delight of theater goers.
Theatre MSU really knocked this one out of the park; it is no wonder the production packed the house two nights in a row.
The production had it all: laugh-out-loud comedy, attempted romance and the thought-provoking topic of human decency.
Arguably the most crucial component to a theatre production’s success is casting. Director Marianne Ulmer selected the absolute ideal cast for the show.
Lyle Tate, the actor who portrayed the main character, Barney Cashman, rose to the challenge of playing this laughably loveable protagonist with ease.
Elaine was played by the immensely talented Markii Bout, who brought considerable stage presence to this seductive role.
The comic relief of the play, Bobbi, was played by MSU newcomer Robbie Henry, whose clever facial expressions had audiences laughing out loud.
Lindsey Cacamo, Theatre MSU veteran, played Jeanette, a slightly more serious character, with incredible talent that only comes from years of experience under the stage lights.
Much of the show’s success comes from Neil Simon’s comic genius.
“Last of the Red Hot Lovers” is a hilarious tale about Barney Cashman, the owner of a seafood restaurant and self-proclaimed literary genius (his claim to fame is the astoundingly alliterative food descriptions in his menus), who makes three attempts at having an affair.
His efforts at joining in on the ’60s sexual revolution are thwarted, however, by the eccentricity of the women he attempts to seduce (“attempts” being the key word here) and his underlying good nature.
Although this is Tate’s first MSU Theatre production, his experience with Starkville Community Theatre added to the velocity of his acting skills.
Tate’s theatre experience shined on McComas’ Lab Theatre stage.
Success in this role goes beyond being skilled at delivering lines. The actor portraying Barney must exuberate blocking techniques and Tate did not disappoint.
Many of Barney’s funniest moments came from Tate’s body language. Tate’s facial expressions while dealing with the bipolar Bobbi were enough to make anyone laugh.
Tate brought Barney, a bland “creature of habit,” to life in a magnificent way. If Neil Simon were present at the performance, he would be proud.
The first act of the show featured Barney’s interactions with the seductress Elaine, played by senior psychology major Markii Bout.
Elaine, a cold-hearted alcoholic who Barney met in his restaurant, is no stranger to infidelity. Though she comes on to Barney like a drunken prom date, he is unable to actually go through with the affair.
“I shopped,” Barney said. “I looked around but I didn’t get anything.”
Bout, no stranger to the stage, brought experience and hard work together to bring the humorously sarcastic Elaine to life in glorious fashion with her cold facial expressions and suggestive body language.
The second act is uncontested for the comedic peak of the show. This act features Barney’s adventures with an out-of-work actress named Bobbi, played by freshman major Robbie Henry.
Henry had audiences laughing out loud the entire act (the elderly gentleman in front of me barely caught his breath between lines).
At the end of the second act, Bobbi had Barney smoking pot and singing about love. Henry had audiences rolling.
Bobbi is best described as quirky and borderline crazy.
“I’m goofy,” Bobbi said to Barney. “Let’s face it.”
Henry swept audiences off their feet with her comic portrayal of this pot-smoking crazy woman.
The final act of the show explored the serious issue of human decency, while still maintaining the light-hearted nature the audience had come to expect.
Barney’s third and final attempt at an affair was with a friend of his wife’s, Jeanette, played by senior communication major Lindsey Cacamo.
Cacamo played the melancholy character Jeanette with a stage presence that had audiences laughing and thinking simultaneously.
The theatre experience Cacamo brought to the stage, combined with Tate’s, ended the production perfectly.