BWW Reviews: AUTHORS ANONYMOUS Produces Literary Laughs at Theatre Suburbia

AUTHORS ANONYMOUS is a fun light farce where four authors jockey for a $100,000 grant being handed out by a reclusive old spinster. The contestants include specific stereotypes from the literary world: a hard boiled pulp fiction author concerned with booze and broads, a writer of trashy bodice ripping romances, a mystery master along the lines of Agatha Christie, and the frustrated literary artist striving to elevate the form. The play examines the question of, "Does what you do and create define you?" Each author projects a certain image tied to their output, but once the interviews and examinations go deep the audience discovers they may not be as stereotypical as their chosen genres might indicate. The real lives prove to be stranger than any fiction they are pumping out for the masses to enjoy.

Theatre Suburbia specializes in these types of plays, not often produced works by playwrights who construct a nice narrative for community theater actors. Houston playwright Carl Williams has written a script that moves pretty well for an evening of light comedy with broad characters. He dabbles in some stereotypical plot devices, but there's a nice pace and enough playful banter to keep the audience's attention until the final reveals. We can forgive the broad strokes and recognizable archetypes once we realize he's poking fun of them in the end. The play makes for a light evening of entertainment in the theater, and the audiences should have a good time giggling throughout.

The cast has way too much fun bringing all of this to life, broad strokes and all. The core ensemble of the four authors are pitch perfect for what they are portraying, living embodiments of book categories. Marc Shellum is all tough guy grit and swagger as he pulls out his flask and chews though his lines creating Roscoe Drake the pulp fiction master. Marilyn Faulkner takes the opposite approach keeping her mystery writer low key and soft spoken to create the right air of enigma around her identity. Robert Lowe produces full huff and bluster as the put-upon literary author, and he paints the perfect portrait of an artist looking down at his more successful popular peers. Maud Ella Lindsley prowls around the stage in sequined dresses from Tootsie's that would make Jackie Collins blush as the over-the-top romance author. She's a hoot and a half using her feminine wiles at every opportunity. Each of these guys and gals aim for "larger than life", and they get there easily. The highlight of the play is when each of them in turn gets to demonstrate their writing style complete with all the hackneyed conventions you'd expect.

Rounding out the bill is the pensive literary critic played by Tony D'Armata. He believably looks around in wonder as the prose masters pose never sure what to make of all of them. Elizabeth Grant portrays the able assistant who coordinates everything for her employer. She does well obsessing about details as the frumpy secretary who ends up falling for someone during the contest. And the reason they are all here is the hilarious "matron of arts" who would rather nap than hear more book talk ably given life by Elaine Edstrom. She uses her sharp tongue and cane to put the cast through their paces, and it's a great joy to watch her.

Directors Ann and Arnold Richie have done a nice job bringing AUTHORS ANONYMOUS to life. They employ and embrace a cartoonish style throughout where the actors are allowed to be broad and comic. Forget realism when you have larger than life writers to parade around the room wailing and gnashing through their art. The only thing that struck me as odd were long stretches of blocking where all the characters lined up in a row. That made it seem like these authors were talking to an audience rather than each other and it felt a bit awkward when they remained static for too long. But that's a minor quibble given the handsome production they've put on here. The set serves the play well, and the lighting punctuates things nicely.

It's not a deep work, or one that takes a ton of thought to enjoy. AUTHORS ANONYMOUS is rather a frothy farce that brings out the best in an ensemble of community actors who are ready simply to have fun with their characters. It's definitely worth a trek to Way Out West Road to join them.

The show runs through the fourth of July. Ticketing information and other details can be found through the website at http://www.theatresuburbia.org/.

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