Review: SILVER FOXES at Revolution Stage Company

At first I wondered whether I was the target audience for Silver Foxes.  The audience at Revolution Stage on opening night was predominantly gay men.  However, as the  performance progressed, my mind changed. The story focuses on the lives of four gay men, each of whom has his own personal struggle to overcome.  The friendship they offer each other clears a path for the journey forward. The need for supportive relationships is not limited to the gay community. It's a universal need. Watching it unfold in this play motivates me to encourage a more eclectic audience to see the show.

The actors' ease in handling James Berg and Stan Zimmerman's snappy, sit-com style dialogue is impressive.  I found myself laughing at inside jokes that had been beyond my own experience. I felt like a fly on the wall who became privy to an intimate conversation, which probably wouldn't have occurred had I been there in person.  Kudos to director Stan Zimmerman for evoking the humor in his script from actors Patrick Briston (Benny), Michael Corbett (Chuck), Joe Morehouse (Cecil), and California newcomer Zachary Feuling (The Twink).  Brava to Melanie Blue for another tour de force performance.  The only woman in the cast, she seamlessly slips into six different roles. 

At rise we are in the mid-century modern living room of Chuck's Palm Springs house. Chuck returns from his morning run later than usual, which sparks a comment from his roommate and former lover Benny, followed by a concocted excuse from Chuck. They are preparing to celebrate Cecil's birthday at his assisted living facility in Pomona.  We meet The Twink, who enters in a dance of glee, anticipating an imminent marriage proposal from his current lover. Cecil enters, fleeing from his assisted living facility.

As the plot unfolds, we get a hint of the serious issues faced and overcome by the gay community in the past.  Many questions arise in the lives of these four men.  Some were resolved in a sit-com way ("before the last commercial"), but some were not.  I would have liked more backstory to the Benny and Chuck relationship because their reconnection is poignant. I wondered whether Cecil, who had signed away his power of attorney, would be pursued by the assisted living facility.  The Twink receives the value of Cecil's experience in the outcome of his relationship.  But not everything can be solved in a two-act play.  Some of the issues these men face require a lifetime of support to unravel.  How they were approached by Berg and Zimmerman was the most touching, thought-provoking element of the premise.

The three-level set fit perfectly on the limited stage, although I suspect the cast walked carefully when they entered the door on the upper level. The setting worked in Palm Springs. I imagine when the play is produced elsewhere, the setting might end up in Provincetown, Fire Island, or other approriate hangout.  Photo credit Tara Howard.

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