BWW Reviews: I LOVED, I LOST, I MADE SPAGHETTI - A Fantastic Show to Savor

Welcome to Guilia Melucci's kitchen; learn the details her past romances and share her culinary skills as she whips up some delicious Italian fare. I LOVED, I LOST, I MADE SPAGHETTI is now onstage at George Street Playhouse through April 6th, and this play is a total delight.

I LOVED, I LOST, I MADE SPAGHETTI is adapted by Jacques LeMarre from Guilia Melucci's memoir of the same name. Directed by Rob Ruggiero, he leads the creative team to make the show a wonderful experience for New Brunswick audiences.

Antoinette LaVecchia plays Guilia, an Italian girl from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. She was not always lucky in relationships, yet, it never deterred her prowess in the kitchen. In the one-woman show, Guilia recounts her trials with a number of very different men. With her stories, she artfully incorporates a discussion of the foods she prepared for them. She states that she wanted "a reliable man who is complicated enough to stay interesting." And, the characters she dated are certainly interesting.

From a teenage romance mishap with Steve and a woeful parting with Kit, to the comedy of errors with writer, Lachlan, Guilia found humor in each and every circumstance. And through all of her life's ups and downs, she kept on cooking. She states, "Why did I have this compulsion to feed these guys."

LaVecchia's performance is truly inspired. She communicates with her audience so easily that you feel you have been invited into her home. She seamlessly delivers amusing anecdotes matched with thoughtful sentiments while even fielding a few calls from her concerned mother.

In the role of Giulia, LaVecchia is so adept at the imitations of former beaus, you may think there are others are on stage; Ethan with his deliberate speech patterns and Marcus, who talks remarkably like Charles Nelson Riley. LaVecchia also proves to be an excellent cook as she prepares antipasto, salad, Bolognese sauce and handmade pasta for a handful of audience members onstage.

Comparing men to the food she prepares, Guilia says, "With men, there's no perfect approach to getting something worth savoring." I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti is a show that is perfect to enjoy and savor for metropolitan area audiences.

George Street Playhouse is located at 9 Livingston Avenue in the heart of New Brunswick's dining and entertainment district easily accessible by public transportation or by car. For tickets to I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti and their other upcoming shows, visit www.GSPonline.org or call (732) 846-2895.

Photo Credit: T. Charles Erickson