After 23 years of marriage to his high school sweetheart, Barney Cashman figures he is owed a one-night stand — or as he prefers to think of it, “a one-time beautiful thing.”
The sexual revolution was in full swing when Neil Simon’s comedy Last of the Red Hot Lovers hit Broadway in 1969.
While the revolution might well have petered out, or at least gone underground in these post-AIDS-epidemic years, Simon’s comedy about Barney’s would-be wild afternoon of abandon has continued to make audiences laugh for more than four decades.
At age 30, Albertus Koett admits he can’t really relate to Barney’s feelings of mid-life desperation — yet.
But Koett wanted to direct Central Alberta Theatre’s production of Simon’s play because the script rang true for him.
“Neil Simon has a way of writing that’s close to real life. His plays are about real-life situations.”
Whether an audience thinks it’s funny or is moved by it, Koett believes people will be able to identify with Barney’s predicament when the comedy opens on Thursday, April 11, at the Nickle Studio, upstairs at Red Deer’s Memorial Centre.
It’s not that the adultery-minded protagonist of Simon’s play doesn’t love his wife, Thelma. He does, said Koett.
But he sees death looming and “comes to the realization that his entire life has been nice — or average. And for once, he wants to do something for himself,” the director added.
In his attempt to add sparkle to his existence, Barney sets up a rendezvous with a woman he met at his restaurant. He’s meeting Elaine at his mother’s house when he knows his mom will be away.
Conversation ensues because Barney wants to get to know the person he’s planning to sleep with. But it’s through this chit-chat that Barney’s plans begin to unravel.
Koett said, “It becomes a problem because Barney wants this one-day affair to be a one-time beautiful thing, but it’s very difficult to get that from a one-time moment.”
When things don’t go swimmingly with Elaine, Barney tries to have one-time flings with two other women at his mother’s house.
Koett believes that Barney, played by Curtis Closson, is guilty of what we have all been culpable of at some point in our lives, whether our discontent is over our family, friends, possessions or careers.
“Barney is not content with what he has.
“He won’t take the opportunity to appreciate or be grateful for what’s been in front of him all along.”
That happens, said Koett, when we take important things for granted.
Unlike a lot of farces and light-weight comedies, he believes Last of the Red Hot Lovers offers more than just fluffy entertainment.
“I think there’s some depth there,” so if audience members identify with Barney’s crisis, Koett hopes some tricky conversations with spouses will ensue.
“It may not be the most comfortable topic of conversation . . . but maybe it would be therapeutic.”
If some theatregoers end up not liking Barney very much, despite Simon’s witty and sympathetic script, well, that’s fine too, said Koett.
“Audiences can take away from it what they want. We’re aiming to create real moments between characters and that means it is what it is. ...”
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com