Friday June 16, 2006

P.O.P.: THE PRINCIPLES OF PERFECTION

THE SIDEWALK STUDIO THEATRE
By Beth Temkin

Anthony Mora has written a sparkling play where words fly fast and furious, performed by two stellar actors: Melissa Tan and Kevin T. McCarthy.

Opening set has a gym on one side and an office on the other. Two people in sweats are in front of treadmills bouncing up and down, continuing at least ten minutes while Sheri never stops talking on her cell phone. She becomes agitated trying to communicate with her absent husband, her foreign maid, and then to a friend Susie, at the same time revealing more about herself than she wants to. We learn about son Jimmy, with a neurotic leaning toward the British and who speaks in a mangled British slang. Her marriage is falling apart. Yet she tries to counsel Susie toward marriage.

The scene changes to Dr. Meyer's office, Sheri's and Susie's celebrity psychiatrist she thinks has just taped the Oprah show. In reality, he has been scrapped as is apparent in his tirade against PR, representative Ms. Iverson (Tan, offstage). He screams obscenities into the phone until she is forced to tell him he was the worst interview the show ever had. This infuriates him and when a patient appears (Tan unrecognizable) she is made to feel more miserable than when she came in. Dr. Meyers' approach is abusive and demoralizing.

Sheri insists Dr. Meyers stops talking about himself and goes to great lengths to gain his attention. Dr. Meyers has a way to humiliate his rival, Sarah Goode, who runs the Principles of Perfection Workshop and has just appeared on the Oprah show for an entire hour.

The direction by Christian Kennedy is fast-paced and full of surprises.

"P.O.P.: The Principles of Perception" is at The Sidewalk Studio Theatre, 4150 Riverside Drive, Toluca Lake. Located two doors east of Priscilla's Coffee. Performances: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, dark June 30 and July 1, ending July 22, 2007. Tickets: $10.00. For information call (323) 874-2933.




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