Currency

Reviewed by Lovell Estell III
VS. Theatre
Through May 21

This world premiere comedy from Los Angeles playwright Jennie Webb has its moments of glorious insanity and humor, but not enough of them to make it a full-on success.

Described as a “contemporary comedy about the absurdity of life, death, and finding love in a world that’s moving too fast,” it opens in the overtly tacky bedroom (set design by Krystyna Loboda) of Helen (Dale Waddington), who has just woken from an apparently satisfying night of copulation with Dan (Warren Davis), and is preparing a simple breakfast.

The informal chatter that goes on in this opening scene gives the subtle impression that these two are somewhat at ease with one another, yet at the same time uneasy about their personal shortcomings and the viability of their relationship — a nuance Webb skillfully maintains throughout. Soon after, Dan receives a phone call informing him that his brother has been murdered.

It is at this juncture that things tilt towards awkward borderline farce. The doorbell sounds and in pops Rae (Torrecilla), Dan’s garrulous indelicate sister. Rae’s not shy about speaking her mind and never short of advice — usually the heavily opinionated, bad variety. Then comes Georgia (Shirley Jordan), Helen’s co-worker and friend of fifteen years, who spends an inordinate amount of time on her cell phone in a heated screechy dispute over insurance, which is initially funny but wears thin after a time.

With the sudden appearance of Dan’s younger brother Sparky (Josh Stamell), a non-stop boisterous fellow with endless ideas about how to better society and the world, the chaos goes into overdrive. The siblings are hard-pressed to make sense of their “crazy, bi-polar” brother’s passing — and life in general — while Dan and Helen attempt to parse out the particulars of their relationship.  Webb has an ear for dialogue, but there is too much “vapor,” in her script, and quite a bit of straining for laughs goes on here.

Performances are all good under Annie McVey’s direction. Waddington imparts a sweet, genuine sort of innocence to her role, which nicely complements the perpetual cluelessness Davis projects, while Stamell’s Sparky is a laugh-a-minute manic.

The Inkwell Theater at V.S. Theatre, 5453 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles; Thur.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; through May 21. (310) 551-0918. Running time: one hour and 20 minutes with no intermission.