New Century Theatre, Northampton, MA
through June 28, 2014
by K.J. Rogowski
New Century Theatre's production of Neil Simon's
"Laughter On The 23rd Floor" is living, laughing tableau of the quick
witted and frenetic lives of seven joker writers and their manic and unstable
TV star boss, Max Prince, during the golden age of live television. The daily
trials and tribulations of churning out yet another stellar script for live
programming each week are only topped by their own personal frustrations and
foibles.
Their world is confined to the 23rd floor, a classic 50's
office, designed by Emily Singer, complete with water cooler, typewriters, and
lots of danish. Lucas is the new kid who has to prove himself both as a comedy
writer, and as a match for the razor-like wit of his six coworkers, who see
every issue as pure comic fodder for their verbal barrages. Then there's Milt,
whose daily wardrobe challenges rule his day; and Val the Russian, who takes speech
lessons to learn to perfect his English "F-bombs." Ira is dying every
day from something exotic, and Brian is certain that today is the day that some
movie studio will discover his yet un-written script. Helen is just trying to
get pregnant, and Kenny is the somewhat stable glue that holds them together.
Their story, is a bitter sweet one, because while having to
deal with a neurotic comic genius boss, and their own personal problems, there
looms the real life threat of the television network bosses who see the
changing future of what the American viewing public wants.
The play rolls out like an actual variety show, with Lucas
as host, addressing the audience like a TV M.C. Each character gets their own
entrance and time to feature their unique brand of comedy. The troupe comes
together in take-offs and skits, playing off each other like a pack of cartoon pinballs,
cracking wise and working the laughs to top each other. Director Sam Rush takes
full advantage of this good old, almost vaudeville like, machine gun humor,
with characters jockeying to top one another. The laughs on both the 23rd
floor, and in the audience, come fast and furious, making for and evening of
pure fun.