THE HANGOVER REPORT – Scott Elmegreen and Drew Fornarola’s skin-deep STRAIGHT fails to convince

straightEarlier this week, Scott Elmegreen and Drew Fornarola’s new play Straight opened Off-Broadway at the Acorn Theatre in Theatre Row. Although I applaud the effort of its authors to create a Neil Simon-esque play for the metrosexual generation, I found the play – about a man (Ben) forced to choose between his fiancé (Emily) and secret gay lover (Chris) – to be skin-deep. Today, such decisions, especially in liberal urban settings (the play takes place in present-day Boston), aren’t as simple as the play’s black-or-white depiction, at least anymore. Times have changed and attitudes toward sexual orientation are much more evolved than there were, say, ten or even five years ago. As such, the piece registers like a period piece, which I don’t think was the intention.

That being said, Straight is tightly directed by Andy Sandberg (although I feel the ominous tone of the scene changes is an odd choice for a piece that’s going for comedic lightness). It’s also pleasantly acted by an attractive cast of three. As Ben, Jake Epstein (who starred opposite Jessie Mueller as Gerry Goffin in the original company of Beautiful) comes up with a likeable performance that feels like it could benefit from going into darker territory, although the sitcom nature of the script certainly doesn’t cater to that. Jenna Gavigan is appropriately perky as Ben’s fiancé, Emily. Only Thomas E. Sullivan, as the young man who comes between them, gives a performance of nuance and complexity, transcending the material that’s been given to him. He’s seductive, naïve, and emotionally ravaged all at once. I look forward to seeing more of him. The production also looks good on the Acorn’s wide stage, courtesy of Charlie Corcoran’s realistic apartment set (nicely lit by Grant Yeager).

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STRAIGHT
Off-Broadway, Play
The Acorn Theatre
1 hour, 30 minutes (without an intermission)
Through May 8

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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