A Review

The One About The Hollywood Epic

By R. J. Donovan

Complete with the parting of the Red Sea and the building of the pyramids (literally), Lyric Stage of Boston is celebrating the holiday season with the New England premiere of “Epic Proportions,” a comedy of biblical dimensions. Directed by David Robinson, the production runs through December 21.

A totally silly two hours, “Epic” is as about as deep as the paper it’s written on. Not that there’s anything wrong with that . . .

Set in the 30’s and authored by Boston actor Larry Coen and “Friends” creator & executive producer David Crane, “Epic” is a tongue-in-cheek look at the making of a Hollywood epic.

The point of view is that of the extras -- 3400 strong, but in particular, Benny and Phil, two brothers who are both seeking fame and fortune. They are also both sweet on Louise, an Assistant Director who’s Head of Atmosphere Personnel. That means she’s in charge of Extras (add air quotes fore and aft).

After a very brief and funny prologue, Louise greets us (the audience is included in the 3400). She knows it’s going to take a while to get to know “all your names” and hopes we’ll have time to sign up for the softball team. Laura Given Napoli, most recently seen at Lyric in “Lend Me A Tenor,” makes for a delightful Louise -- quirky and innocent, yet ambitious in her mission to do the right thing.

The setting for this Ten Commandments-like mayhem is the Arizona desert, 240 miles from the nearest town. Once the cast is assembled and the buses pull away, that’s it, there’s no way out and no way back to civilization until the film is completed.

Making his first appearance at Lyric, Christopher Robin Cook does a nice job as wide-eyed Benny who’s taken six months of acting lessons and figures to make it big on the silver screen. Funny in a Chandler Bing-kind of way, he longs to be included in the glamour of the regal palace scenes but seems destined to wallow among pestilence and locusts. He’s the first one to fall for Louise, but he gets no where with her.

Cook is especially funny in a scene playing one of Cleopatra’s servants who gets beaten up. As Cleopatra tries to work out her motivation in take after take, Benny gets increasingly pummeled, dreading each line as the scene leads to its inevitable conclusion. It would be all the funnier if the same gimmick had not been used earlier in the first act.

Terrence O’Malley is brother Phil, who joins the film almost by accident. He follows Benny to the desert and winds up staying. Further by accident, he winds up directing the film. Legendary film mogul D. W. DeWitt selects him, seemingly by random, to complete the picture when the original director is accidentally consumed by an out of control Burning Bush.

Phil had previously won over Louise by suggesting several marching band sequences to help maneuver her mob scenes. However, when his responsibilities with the film increase, he no longer has time for her. Benny steps in, consoles her in her loneliness, and, well -- you know the rest.

The cast of thousands is played by a mere company of four -- Neil Casey, Maureen Keiller, Nathaniel McIntyre and Richard Snee -- who adeptly switch back and forth from characters in the film to production crew making the film.

They do an incredible job of creating a much larger sea of faces, running off stage, switching roles and costumes only to reemerge before you even realize they’ve left. The only glitch is that McIntyre and O’Malley bear a passing resemblance to one another, such that, at the top of the show, it takes a second to follow who’s who with the quick switches.

In particular, Keiller is terrific as a gutsy, throaty diva of a Cleopatra. Among her expressive roles, she also has a brief but very droll turn as Cochette, a smokey costume designer with a not-so-subtle eye for Louise.

In the end, the film veers completely out of control, the company is close to mutiny and Benny has to step in to keep things going.

So as art imitates life (or perhaps the other way around), a boy rises from the ranks to lead his people out of the desert to their destiny -- even if the boy is Benny, and the desert is outside of Tucson.

Production Photo by Sheila Ferrini.

"Epic Proportions" is at Lyric Stage, 140 Clarendon Street in Boston, through December 21. For information, call 617-437-7172.

-- OnStage Boston

11/27/02

© 2002 RJD Associates. All Rights Reserved.
No portion of this site may be reprinted or reproduced without prior written permission.