by Russ Simmons
Johnson County Sun
September 29th, 2010
As Stephen Sondheim aptly put it, "You gotta have a gimmick if you want to get ahead."
Playwright Norm Foster came up with a pretty clever gimmick for his situation comedy "The Love List," now playing at the American Heartland Theatre.
In a twist reminiscent of John Hughes’ 1985 film "Weird Science," a couple of guys accidentally concoct the "perfect woman" only to discover that perfection isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Upon arriving home after his 50th birthday dinner, a nerdy statistician named Bill (Sean Grennan) is given an unusual present by his pal Leon (Scott Cordes).
The gift is a form to fill out for a dating service run by a strange gypsy woman. Bill is to list, in order of importance, 10 traits to define the perfect woman. Reluctantly, Bill fills out the form and shortly thereafter,voila! A gorgeous, smart and successful woman named Justine (Shanara Gabrielle) appears at Bill’s door.
Carrying on as if they’d been involved in a lengthy affair, Justine makes herself at home. At first, Bill thinks that someone is putting him on. Soon, however, he learns that he can affect Justine’s behavior any time he erases an item from the list and inserts a new trait.
This Frankenstein-meets-Henry Higgins experiment starts going terribly wrong as Bill discovers that getting what you wish for can be dangerous. While there are some funny moments in Foster’s script, his ideas are generally better than their execution.
Grennan makes Bill an awkward everyman, a decent soul caught up in existential dilemma. Cordes provides the right note as Leon, an unapologetic chauvinist who isn’t nearly as cynical as he claims to be. Gabrielle is a real find, displaying great timing and intelligence as the woman of Bill’s dreams. Her ability to quickly shift gears as Bill manipulates his list is an impressive demonstration of sharp acting skills.
Paul Hough’s direction is rock solid. He’s proven able to improve upon the material he’s been given. Thanks to strong performances and slick execution, another otherwise forgettable play is made memorable.
"The Love List" runs through Oct. 24 at the American Heartland Theatre, 2450 Grand Ave., Kansas City, Mo. For tickets, visit www.ahtkc.com or call (816) 842-9999.
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