Review: World Premiere Comedy A DeLUSIONAL AFFAIR Offers a Look at What Happens When Fantasy Becomes Reality

Santa Monica Playhouse presents the funny, touching, and just a little bit racy, world premiere comedy, Albert James Kallis's A DeLUSIONAL Affair which will make you question everything you ever thought you knew about love, marriage, fantasy and reality, leaving you with a new perspective on it all. The play centers around a married couple celebrating their 25th Anniversary, with a husband eager to celebrate with his wife while she is so engrossed writing a book that she cannot be bothered to pay much attention to him, other than on the fantasy pages of her book.

The self-centered husband, Oliver Foxx (Greg Berger) thinks his marriage and love life are finally under control, but he is sorely mistaken as his wife seems to be headed in a totally different direction, ignoring his request to drop everything and join him on a whirlwind around-the-world vacation as her 25th Anniversary present. In fact, Julia Foxx (Rachel Galper) prefers to spend every waking hour on her lap top creating a book with a fictional account of exactly what has gone wrong in their marriage.

After turning down his vacation offer, Oliver demands to read her book so he can see what she is writing about him that is turning her away from their marriage. When she refuses to let him read it before it is published and sends him to their bedroom alone, Fate steps in and turns everything on its heels when a mysterious woman named Gina (Albina Katsman) shows up in his bed ready to seduce him. Confessing she is a character in Julia's book and can only be seen by Oliver, the stage is set for an epic comedy during which he is taken on the wildest ride of his life.

Berger and Katsman are a treat as Oliver and Gina, their bedroom scenes filled with all the anxiety, guilt and longing any married man would feel when presented with a chance to commit adultery without being discovered. Katsman is fearless in her sexy portrayal without a bit of self-consciousness at all when required to strip down to barely nothing as the seduction takes place. Berger carries the show with his outstanding ability to realistically portray a wide range of emotions authentically without ever going over-the-top unless his rage makes perfect sense in the moment. Galper is the most reserved of all the characters, often appearing non-caring about her husband's frustrations with her lack of interest. Surely any wife longing to finally pursue her dream after becoming an empty-nester will understand Julia's focus on wanted to accomplish her goal as soon as possible, knowing time could run out before ever making a name for herself. And if her husband does not support her, is it time to consider a divorce? Julia is certainly at that point, ready to send Oliver packing.

As the play unfolds, we learn Gina is visiting to help Oliver understand what is going on in his marriage as well as in Julia's mind. And because Julia cannot see Gina in scenes where she walks in on them in bed, the stage is set for incredibly humorous encounters as Oliver attempts to cover up what we know Julia cannot see. And of course, when Oliver explains his strange behavior, Julia realizes the imaginary woman being described is a character from the pages of her book, so naturally she believes Oliver has been reading it behind her back. After all, how could he know about Gina if he hasn't?

A DeLUSIONAL Affair is helmed by Santa Monica Playhouse Artistic Director Chris DeCarlo, who knows exactly how to utilize the limited amount of stage space to its best advantage on a set designed by James Cooper, with costumes by award-winning designer Ashley Hayes and sound designed by The Attic Room. George J Vennes III does double duty as Technical Director and Production Stage Manager.

A DeLUSIONAL Affair plays Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 3:30pm through April 30, 2017. General admission is $35. Discounts are available for students, teachers, seniors, members of the military and groups of 8 or more. For reservations visit http://SantaMonicaPlayhouse.com/ or call The Playhouse Box Office at 1-310-394-9779 extension 1. For about group sales and special event parties offered in conjunction with every performance, use extension 2.

The Santa Monica Playhouse Main Stage is located at 1211 4th Street (between Wilshire and Arizona) in the heart of downtown Santa Monica. Convenient parking is located directly across the street in city lot #1. By public transportation: take the Santa Monica Blue Bus or the LA Metro Rapid #720 and exit at 4th and Wilshire or ride the Metro Expo Line to 4th and Colorado (end of the line). The Playhouse is 3.5 blocks north of the station.

Photos by Cydne Moore

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