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Love
Struck – or rather, it casually stopped by.
In a series of seven one-act plays about love, playwright Dale Griffiths
Stamos attempts to show  | Cast:
Dave Roberts, Barbara Bain,
and Peter Van Norden |
us what love is all about. Presented by Three Roses Players and Venice
Sky Productions, Love Struck examines a range of love that spans the
generations. And while the night was
plush with fine actors and enthralling scenarios, I often found myself asking,
“Where is the love?”
At
opposite ends of the generational spectrum were recent college graduate Tara
Windley and the Emmy Award winning veteran, Barbara Bain. In Confessions: Part 1: Tracy’s Sin,
Windley plays Tracy, a popular high school student who has to choose between
popularity and a boy. This monologue
takes place in a confessional and Windley’s emotional range was incredibly
compelling as she raised the stakes where Stamos’ writing did not. In Matchmade, Bain plays a widow who
runs a matchmaking agency for people over 70 and becomes befuddled when she
realizes that one of her new clients is an old fling from her past. Opposite Nick Ullet who plays Charlie, Bain’s
comedic timing shines. The chemistry
between Ullet and Bain is undeniable and watching Bain’s character, Meredith,
squirm under Charlie’s advances is adorable and refreshing. Feeling devoted to her husband’s ghost,
Meredith has to decide if it’s time to let go of the love she had in order to
try her hand at the one that got away.
In
Amanda Split, there’s a tug-of-war (literally) between mind and body as Amanda
(Molly Leland) and Mandy (Julianna Robinson) try to decide whether they’ll be
sleeping with or sending home Ethan (Ryan Cross), the hot guy who decided to
stop by for some fun. Leland and
Robinson are hilarious in this physically comedic piece.
Let’s
be honest, I haven’t been very lucky where love is concerned and it’s possible
that the same problems that riddle my dating life have swayed my theater
viewing capabilities but damnit woo me!
In The One, Cody (Kirk Enochs) returns to tell his high school
sweetheart, Laura (Natasha Charles Parker) that she was the love of his life
and while she remembers things rather differently, I’m left wondering what
these two ever saw in each other at all.
In Dirty Little Secret, Anna (Maggie Grant), a court appointed
shrink, attempts to work through her client Nick’s (Matthew Brenher) domestic
abuse problems and we find that Anna has a secret of her own. Once again, these two are bound in a very
specific and intimate way but I had a hard time seeing the connection.
Director
Maggie Grant performed in two of the evening’s one-acts and it was like
watching Amanda Split all over again – when there are two  | | Cast:
Nick Ullet and Barbara Bain |
conflicting
wants, there are bound to be consequences.
In Grant’s case, the night lacked direction. And much like my life up until this point, I
spent the evening looking for love in all the wrong places. I know it was there. Between the actors’ performances and Stamos’
words, the one-acts were ripe with possibility.
I saw a lot of like, a dose of seduction, some sweet adoration and
incredible fondness but I wasn't wooed and I want love! Photo Credit: Sean
Kohnen
Love
Struck
Seven
one-act plays about love
Opens
May 11th through May 27th, 2012
Fridays
and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 3pm and 7pm
Beverly
Hills Playhouse
254
S. Robertson Blvd.
Beverly
Hills, CA 90211
Tickets
are $32 (General Admission) and $25 (Seniors and Students)
For
reservations call (323) 960-7787 or Reserve Online: www.plays411.com/lovestruck
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