Photo by Sylvia Spross
Review by: Pauline Adamek
Two Roads Theatre
Through May 4, 2014
RECOMMENDED
Playwright-director Jeff Gould has found a formula that works. Several years ago he had a huge hit with his play It’s Just Sex!, which played off-Broadway and all over the world and enjoyed a two-year run at Studio City’s tiny Two Roads Theatre. Gould has returned to the 56-seat house with a world premiere comedy that is an offshoot of his former hit. In Is There Sex After Marriage?, he once again charts the marital woes of three couples, examining their interpersonal dynamics with a sparkling sense of humor.
Each couple presents a marital snapshot. Sherry and Roger (Rene Ashton and Jaret Sacrey) are languishing in the doldrums, so they frequently socialize with two other couples. While neighbors Mindy and Joe (Natalie Salins and Brad Lee Wind) can’t help making passive-aggressive comments and taking pot-shots at each other, Beth and Zack (Anne Leighton and Joel Berti) can’t keep their hands off each other, even after eight years of marriage. That gets the others wondering: What’s their secret? How are they keeping the romance alive?
All is revealed when Sherry and Roger inadvertently wander into a swingers’ party. An attempt to spice up their marriage inevitably blows up in their faces, leading to a shift from light comedy into a serious discussion that borders on a group therapy confessional.
With his fanciful examination of marriage, fidelity, lust and trust, Gould gives voice to all facets of a troubled marriage, often dividing the discussion along clichéd gender lines. In Gould’s world, women hold all the power, getting to decide when sex is going to happen or when a discussion is over. For the most part, Gould keeps it light and, at a mere 75 minutes, the play zips along until its satisfying denouement. There are awkward scenes that could have you cringing and laughing at the same time. The cast gives great performances, especially Joel Berti, who uses his charm and sexy smirk to good effect in two roles. –Pauline Adamek
Two Roads Theatre, 4348 Tujunga Ave., Studio City; Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., . p.m.; through May 4. (323) 960-5770, www.Plays411.com/sexaftermarriage
