Review: 'Love Song' at ArtsWest tries to examine the power of love and make-believe

Theater review |

When does adult make-believe cross the line separating normal from abnormal behavior? That's the thought-provoking question at the heart of "Love Song," but it's wrapped in comedic fluff and quick one-liners.

What results is a play that's rather like cotton candy. It's enjoyable while it's being consumed, but it doesn't leave you fully satisfied.

In it, Joan, a hard-driving, good-living professional, is contemptuous of the incompetents she's forced to work with; yet the biggest loser in her life is Beane, the brother she loves.

Beane, practically a recluse, can barely function in society — that is, until a mysterious apparition named Molly invades his dumpy apartment and transforms him into a verbose sex machine. This behavior is incomprehensible to Joan and her husband, Harry. They think Molly is all in Beane's mind, but then they indulge in their own make-believe and find it more than a little satisfying; it certainly works to soften Joan's hard edges.

Director Kate Witt hasn't quite found a way around a script that tries too hard for the easy laugh at the expense of a fully realized dramatic premise. The contrast between the lives of withdrawn Beane and hard-charging Joan isn't reinforced by the modest set or the use of sound and light. And the decision to have Beane played more like a severely autistic person than a recluse makes his transition even harder to accept.

Among the actors, Heather Hawkins is especially good as Joan, the taut, ready-to-explode executive. And the bickering between Joan and her harried husband (Nick DeSantis) is simply delicious.

Christopher Zinovitch is capable in both of Beane's personalities. The most demanding role is that of Molly, the mysterious specter. Cindy Bradder's performance, unfortunately, makes it hard to believe she's anything but real.

There are many clever lines here. But the play needed more than guffaws. If, on the other hand, what you're after is a pleasant diversion, this production is for you.

Nancy Worssam: nworssam@earthlink.net