ACT like you're really gay

Thanks to well-connected friends, I was able to attend the premiere of "Night of the Iguana" last night at ACT Theatre. Here's the reasons why I went:
Firstly (I used that word to bug you Risa), I rarely attend theatre performances.
Secondly, I have never seen a Tennessee Williams play on stage.
Thirdly, it was with a friend with whom I enjoy spending time.
Fourthly, FREE beer, wine and food post-show.
Hook me up, man! Free anything and I'm almost guaranteed to show--have I ever told you about the time I skipped a mid-term for a free breakfast?

Here's my take on the show.
The script, needless to say, is great. Unfortunately, the actor playing Shannon was in a different show from everyone else. He knew how to get laughs--but there was no depth to his rage. Shannon is a man with a fever. He should be boiling the whole time he's on stage. There was little to no chemistry between him and Hannah. Hannah, however was great, she had the east coast accent down pat and really knew how she was the only character that could needle Shannon. Unfortunately, she needled a wet noodle the whole night.
The actress protraying Maxine was one of those actresses you can watch act. She performs her lines as she imagines an actor should perform them. Her deep voice only serves to distract from her lines. It is a shame that neither she nor Shannon can produce the depth of their characters' relationship. With Hannah, Maxine steps up her performance, but their conforontation is tacked on in the second act and has a feeling of coming out of nowhere.
The supporting characters are benign with the exception of Nonno who executes his befuddled poet role wonderfully.
The true failure of the production comes from the direction. Even with the facade of the inn, there is still little sense of setting. Poor staging ruins scenes like Shannon's fettering in the second act--which is such a shame because this is the major thematic imagery for the act. The tech aspects only serve to distract from the story as well--but maybe that was just where we were sitting. Still, the echo (which I don't know if the stage direction calls for) when Maxine calls for Fred seems out of place. Almost every cast member shouts from that spot at some point in the play, but only she echoes--and only that once.
But you think I'm just ragging on the show. I'm not. I going to go out on a limb and say that Tennessee Williams is still one of the most important playwrights in the American theatre, and, like I said earlier, I had never seen one of his plays performed live. Actually seeing and hearing a play performed is integral to understanding its story, structure, and theme. While this production may have missed some beats here and there, it is still competent.

Ok, now here's what else went down last night. At first intermission, Bill bought me a beer. I opted for IPA even though sometimes they don't sit right with me, my other choices were Hefeweizen and Coors Light. So, not much of a choice. Unfortunately, I am allergic to wheat--not so allergic that I don't eat wheat bread, but allergic to stuff like say, some beers with high wheat content. So I have about half of it and take it back into the show. After the lights dim and show starts up again, I can feel my throat closing. My ears suddenly become plugged. My nose starts running and I can barely breathe. After a couple more sips, I realize it must be the beer. I sneeze four times in a row and cough occasionally. I have a couple of choices here, I can either get up, go to the bathroom, splash water on my face, drink water, step outside for fresh air, or I can sit and hopefully it will go away. I opt for the latter. My breathing becomes beleaguered. The stage lights fade in and out of my view. I try to time my coughing and death throes to the audiences laughter. About twenty minutes before the end of the show, I can breathe again and I am fine.
For the after party, I stuck to wine.
Thanks for inviting me Bill and thanks for the tickets, Derek!! I know I kinda bagged the show, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy a night at the theatre. So keep me in mind for future shows, m'kay? Thanks.