The Metromaniacs
Reviewed by Socks Whitmore
Theatre 40
Thru August 21
In a cozy theater born from a high school storage room, a strange scene is taking place: a host of adults in 18th century finery dance to 80s club music amidst hand-painted two-dimensional trees as they shout at each other in ferocious couplets. The context? Theatre 40, an indie theater company that transformed a vacant storeroom in Beverly Hills High into a full-fledged performance space, has launched the first production of its 2022-23 season — The Metromaniacs, a 2015 English play by David Ives adapted from Alexis Piron’s 1738 French farce, La Métromanie.
This comedy of errors is set in 1738 Paris, during the height of a poetry craze that has several of its central characters spinning. Two lovestruck lads fall for the same poem-loving aristocrat and set in motion a case of mistaken identities, disguises, and other shenanigans in hopes of winning her hand. But mishap after mishap threatens to keep them from the ditzy subject of their affections, as her wealthy father casts them both in his naturalistic new play alongside his sharp-witted but meddlesome servant girl. As the boys chase and the servants meddle, the entire cast of poem lovers and lovers of poets recites rhymes with unbelievable fervor. The rhyming isn’t just a phase, however; from the pre-show announcements to the bows, the tale is told entirely in rhyming couplets.
As a hallmark feature of the dialogue, the rhyming is one of the show’s most important features, and often it results in witty humor that could only be achieved by a master of language. It creates a Shakespearean feel, though the combination of posh language with more modern phrases and affectations sprinkled throughout makes it more palatable for the everyday audience. The cadence of the written verse puts the actors in a precarious position, as it dwells in the same place throughout and threatens to fall flat. But several creative choices are made to keep the endless rhymes from getting dull, from grabbing deliveries (like Hisato Masuyama’s delightful absurdity as the gibbering uncle Baliveau) to physical comedy (like Josephine Nuñez’s sexy-but-not-so-sexy duck lip poses as the poetess Lucille). A special favorite was the repeated gag of the slap-from-across-the-room, executed by a well-timed sound effect, a verbal announcement by the angered individual and a wholehearted commitment to the bit by the receiving party. And the choice to incorporate startlingly contemporary references — which comes as no surprise when looking back at director Marjorie Hayes alma mater, CalArts — turns out to be a very effective tool for giving audiences a good time.
The intended audience for this particular play is very niche, or perhaps just unclear; the use of contemporary diction as parody is more successful at eliciting laughter than the clever jokes shrouded in flowery language, and the little meta moments feel targeted at a younger audience than the room provides. The enchantment of the rhymes would be more successful if not for being broken on occasion by an imbalance in the rhythm or a halting delivery. The nature of the dialogue leads to a handful of forced word choices, as can be expected, but the fleeting moments miss an opportunity to “lean” into the awkward. It’s also never quite made clear if the characters know that they’re rhyming, and the play’s final twist may leave some audiences confused.
This show might not be for everyone, but it warms up over time — so if you’re in the mood for just a little bit of nonsense, there’s laughter to be had.
Theatre 40, 241 S. Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills; Thurs.-Sat., 8:00 pm; Sun. 2:00 pm.Running time: 2 hours 10 minutes including one intermission https://theatre40.org/product/the-metromaniacs-july21-aug21-2022/
