A BRIEF FARCE GREAT SUPPORT BRINGS LAUGHTER, NOT POIGNANCY TO 'UNDERPANTS'.Byline: Rob Lowman Entertainment Editor STEVE MARTIN Noun 1. Steve Martin - United States actor and comedian (born in 1945) Martin knows funny. His play ``The Underpants,'' which opened at the Geffen Playhouse The Geffen Playhouse (or the Geffen) is a not for profit performing arts theater in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Originally named the Westwood Playhouse, UCLA purchased the property in 1993. UCLA's then chancellor, Charles E. on Wednesday night, has enough laughs to be worth the price of admission alone. An adaptation of the social satire ``Die Hose'' (often translated as ``The Unmentionables'' or ``A Pair of Drawers'') by German playwright Carl Sternheim Carl Sternheim (April 1, 1878 – November 3, 1942) was a German playwright and short story writer. One of the major exponents of German Expressionism, he especially satirized the moral sensibilities of the emerging German middle class during the Wilhelmine period. , ``The Underpants'' is broad farce with a large nod to burlesque burlesque (bûrlĕsk`) [Ital.,=mockery], form of entertainment differing from comedy or farce in that it achieves its effects through caricature, ridicule, and distortion. It differs from satire in that it is devoid of any ethical element. and a smaller one to the theater of the absurd theater of the absurd: see drama, Western. , with some witty zingers For other uses, see . Zingers are an American snack cake made by both Dolly Madison and Hostess, two iconic American snack food brands owned by Interstate Bakeries Corporation. thrown in to punctuate punc·tu·ate v. punc·tu·at·ed, punc·tu·at·ing, punc·tu·ates v.tr. 1. To provide (a text) with punctuation marks. 2. the proceedings. But more than that it's not, despite its gloss of sophistication so·phis·ti·cate v. so·phis·ti·cat·ed, so·phis·ti·cat·ing, so·phis·ti·cates v.tr. 1. To cause to become less natural, especially to make less naive and more worldly. 2. and pretense to seriousness. ``The Underpants,'' which is set in 1911 in Germany, begins in the aftermath of a scandalous incident involving Louise Maske (Meredith Patterson), the pretty, somewhat meek and sexually neglected wife of Theo (Dan Castellaneta), a petty bureaucrat who is insensitive to her needs and quite German. Somehow Louise's undergarments had dropped to her ankles while she watched the king ride by during a parade, causing quite a stir in the city. Her self-absorbed husband, already worried because she is too pretty for a man in his position, is crazed and afraid. (``I'm a government clerk; I blend in.'') ``It only lasted two seconds,'' Louise protests. ``Haven't you heard?'' Theo retorts, ``Time is relative.'' Later, he opens a newspaper that carries the giant headline ``Relativity Happens,'' below which is a picture of Einstein. Don't blink - another joke's on the way. But Louise's moment in the sun has won her fans - lustful lust·ful adj. Excited or driven by lust. lust  ful·ly adv.lust ones, anyway - in the form the Casanova-ish unpublished poet Versati (Anthony Crivello) and meek barber Cohen cohen or kohen (Hebrew: “priest”) Jewish priest descended from Zadok (a descendant of Aaron), priest at the First Temple of Jerusalem. The biblical priesthood was hereditary and male. (Patrick Kerr), who tries to hide the fact he's Jewish (``that's Cohen with a K''). The two apply to rent the vacant room in the Maskes' house. Eager to make a deutsche mark, Theo rents to both and puts up a partition. Encouraged by her nosy nos·y or nos·ey adj. nos·i·er, nos·i·est Informal 1. Given to prying into the affairs of others; snoopy. See Synonyms at curious. 2. Prying; inquisitive. upstairs neighbor Gertrude (Amy Aquino) and smitten with Versati, who's already in the house, Louise is ready for an affair, but this being farce, there will be no easy path to intercourse - we're talking the verbal kind here. Jokes are thrown out at the dizzying rate, and there is low physical humor as well, with numerous puns involving real sausages and wieners. Sometimes there's both: ``I'm referencing Freud,'' Versati insists during one argument. ``I'm referencing myself,'' replies Theo, stuffing a big fat cigar in his mouth. You get the picture. Despite all the play's smart references, though, there is little to grab onto except the jokes. When toward the end Louise confesses, ``Something leaves me surprisingly empty ... My fame is gone,'' the poignancy it's supposed to evoke isn't there. Amid all the comings and goings and sexual innuendos, there has been next to nothing in the writing to support the moment. It only works to some degree thanks to Patterson, who, while possessing a refined touch in both physical and verbal humor, still manages to give Louise some substance. There is a lovely moment - one of the rare quiet ones - in which Louise begins to undress in anticipation of a visit from Versati. Somehow, without saying a word, Patterson's deliberate movements convey all of Louise's hopes and dreams. Castellaneta, best-known as the voice of Homer Simpson, is an ideal choice for Theo. The bureaucrat may dress better than Homer, but, like many men, he has the same Neanderthal approach to love and life. ``I can't change my mind. I'd have nothing to think,'' he reasons, and you can hear Homer saying it. Another time he complains to Louise, ``I want to stop nagging you, but you won't let me.'' The rest of the cast is superb as well. Under the deft hand of John Rando, the Tony Award-winning director of ``Urinetown,'' they get quite a workout as they keep the laughs coming. Rob Lowman, (818) 713-3687 robert.lowman(at)dailynews.com THE UNDERPANTS - Three stars Where: The Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood. When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 4 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday; through April 25. Tickets: $28 to $46. Call (310) 208-5454. In a nutshell: Terrific cast, plenty of laughs - but don't think too much about it. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: The unmentionables un·men·tion·a·ble adj. Not fit to be mentioned or discussed; unspeakable: unmentionable words. n. 1. One that is not to be mentioned. 2. unmentionables Underwear. in ``The Underpants'' belong to Meredith Patterson, who's married to long-suffering Dan Castellaneta. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion