BWW Reviews: NOW THEN AGAIN Proves There's a Science to Both Romance and Storytelling

Lots of things are meant to be paired together. Peanut butter and jelly, Meryl Streep and Oscar nominations, but romance and quantum physics? They might not be a logical pairing, but in Penfold Theatre's Now Then Again, the way that they come together is an entertaining thing of genius.

On the surface, Now Then Again is the familiar, formulaic, boy-meets-girl romantic comedy. Nerdy, wildly neurotic grad student Henry (Nathan Jerkins) is constantly focused on two things: his work as a physicist and avoiding public speaking at all costs. But everything changes when he meets Ginny (Megan Rabuse), a smart, beautiful, confident undergrad who is engaged to Chris (Matthew Worthington), a handsome and very proud Southern gentleman. Henry and Ginny's lives intersect frequently, often due to the prodding of a janitor (Denis Pratt), who is either a little sick in the head or is able to see into difference planes of space and time.

What elevates Now Then Again past the romantic comedy archetypes is Penny Penniston's intelligent, well-crafted script. We see the story of Henry and Ginny unfold twice, each time in a different version of reality. The first act follows one reality moving forward, and the second gives us the alternate version moving backward. While the storytelling may sound a bit challenging, it's a delight to see. Penninston's clever moments of overlap between both realities gives the show a jolt of fun and whimsy, and director Ryan Crowder's staging keeps the proceedings from being a confusing, jumbled mess by giving us some sleek visual clues as to when and where we are in the story.

As unique as the text is, there are plenty of romantic comedy archetypes that remain. Henry isn't the leading man type, and when pitted against the handsome and charming Chris, Henry's the apparent underdog. Ginny also seems like a character we've seen before, the former Southern debutante who longs to be taken seriously (and has even abandoned her accent). We've seen characters like this before.

Though they may be stock characters on paper, the cast remarkably gives them more depth and dimension. Jerkins is hysterically funny as the self-conscious Henry. Rabuse brings an earthiness and authenticity to Ginny, and Worthington creates an interesting character out of Chris, the quintessential preppy Southern gentleman with outdated views on women. But it's Pratt as the matchmaking janitor who-armed with charm, a smirk, and the ability to incessantly wax poetic-steals the show.

Running time: 2 hours, including intermission.

NOW THEN AGAIN, produced by Penfold Theatre, plays the Trinity Street Theatre (901 Trinity Street, 4th Floor, Austin 78701) now thru October 12th. Performances are Thursday - Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 5pm. Tickets are $20 regular, $18 students and seniors. For tickets and information, please visit www.penfoldtheatre.com

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