Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 06:10:24 -0500
From: BobLaFont@aol.com

Editor note: You may use this review without royalty provided credit is given
to Bob LaFont.


Review

PARTY

Playing at the Henry Fonda Theater in beautiful downtown Hollywood "Party"
fresh from New York scores a ten on a scale from one to nine. This very gay
and savvy production tells a story about 7 friends living in Los Angeles and
getting together at Kevin's (Mark Ciglar) home for a party and a game.

Similar to "Truth or Dare" but much more fun and potentially revealing these
men expose both their souls and their bodies to each other in an exercise of
trust and love that only serves to bond them closer. Having lived through
more than a decade of burying their friends, these man have developed a
support network for each other that transcends any analog in the non-gay
world.

While most of this play is performed in the nude there is surprisingly little
sex involved. I felt that the nudity was placed as a metaphor for the
complete trust these men had for each others feelings. While this is truly
and ensemble cast and their are no stars, per se. Everyone will agree that
the plum lines belong to Ray (Ted Bales). He is a viciously clever gay priest
who is a walking encyclopedia of musical theater and film. While his prose is
every bit a as clever as Martha's in "Virginia Wolf" it is clear that he uses
his god given talents to amuse and not debase his hapless and often helpless
victims.

I've heard some compare this play to the concurrently running "End of the
World Party" at the Celebration theater and it a way it is similar. But it is
also completely different and I strongly urge theater goers to see both. This
play will ring true mostly for Gay men over thirty but every age group and
orientation will find something to love about it. The 60 something hetero
couple sitting near me were howling and the almost constant one liners and
innuendos.

I had the pleasure of seeing the play in the same audience as the venerable
Charles Pierce. Glancing over on occasion I swear that he was jotting down
mental notes, preparing some of the brilliant dialog for a rework into his
own act. If your mom is really cool about Gay issues, you could take her to
this play, but my gut feeling is that this is not a crossover vehicle that
you would feel good coming out over. It is just to candid for neofags.

The issues dealt with are very real and very touching, but it's obviously
written for and by Gay men. There is a special code and sensibility that only
Gay men and their close friends are apt to instantly understand. Also if you
aren't up on your popular entertainment culture you might miss quite a few of
the gattling gun rapid jokes. That being said there is much more to this work
than the bitchy barbs. It is a touching and accurate look around and through
the stereotypes that we shun and embrace.

For this performance the lovely old Henry Fonda Theater was cut in half so
that every seat is up close and intimate. We are told that you can have a
lovely dinner before the play for about twelve dollars. Had I known I would
have opted for that. Hollywood boulevard is seamy at best, but the parking is
secure ($4.00) and the pan handlers seem to pick up on the generally up mood
of the attendees because they were quite clever and jovial in their
supplications.

Before leaving I must remention how entirely delightful Ted Bales was as the
Gay priest "Ray". 
Reading the playbill I discover that he originated the role in the New York &
Chicago production. Somehow that does not surprise me. His timing, nuance,
gestures, and facial expressions brought the show to a creshendo early on and
kept it there for the entire performance.

Written and directed by David Dillon. Scenes by James Noone. Costumes (soon
to be shed) by Gail Cooper-Hecht. Lighting by Ken Billington. Sound by Tom
Clark. Stage managed by Larry Baker. Cast by Steven Fertig. PR by Rick
Miramontez Co. The company consists of: Mark Ciglar (Kevin), Ted Bales (Ray),
Russell Scott Lewis (Philip), Dan Jarrett (Brian), Vince Gatton (Peter),
William Wesley (James) and Ray Barnhart (Andy).

In summary. If you are Gay man and like to laugh. Go see it.