{"id":8397,"date":"2013-11-02T08:09:04","date_gmt":"2013-11-02T15:09:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=8397"},"modified":"2013-11-03T05:52:24","modified_gmt":"2013-11-03T13:52:24","slug":"social-security-in-pacifica-spindrifts-new-black-box","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/social-security-in-pacifica-spindrifts-new-black-box\/","title":{"rendered":"“Social Security” in Pacifica Spindrift’s new black box"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Spindrift Theater (the building, not the troupe) in Pacifica suffered a structural near-catastrophe in August<\/span>\u2014a major ceiling beam was about to give way, and the stage was closed.\u00a0 Nothing daunted, the troupe put on their production of Noises Off<\/span> on a borrowed stage, but tonight’s opening of Social Security<\/span> proved they are HOME AGAIN!.<\/p>\n

I knew this new production would be staged in the Muriel Watkins Gallery, an auxiliary room of the theater building.\u00a0 I know this room<\/em>, I thought.\u00a0 How are they going to pull this off? <\/em><\/p>\n

The answer is, with an unmitigated, unqualified, HUGE SUCCESS!\u00a0 To start with, the unsung backstage hands transformed this smallish room into an intimate and beautifully designed black box.\u00a0 It seats about 30\u2014reserve early, Andrew Bergman’s wildly funny Social Security<\/span> is sure to be a hit. Spindrift has\u00a0 added two shows to their normal season, but this probably won’t be enough the sellout crowds expected for this wonderfully hilarious performance.<\/p>\n

The intimate black-box setting brings each of us right into the apartment living room of NY art dealers David and Barbara (real-life husband-and-wife Gary and Joanie Pugh Newman), just as Barbara’s uptight sister Trudy (Joy Eaton) and her nerdy husband Martin (Harry Sellenthin) come to call with some bad news.\u00a0 This first act taken on its own is hilarious.\u00a0 Keep an eye on Trudy\u2014to me this character is the heart of the show, and Ms. Eaton’s subtle performance makes everything else in the play work.<\/p>\n

And work it does. There are many, many laughs in this show, and they only gather strength as it moves along.\u00a0 One of the unintended consequences of this newly created black box is the contagion of laughter.\u00a0 We are all in the living room with these souls and their problems and reactions become our own as only such an intimate setting can permit.<\/p>\n

If you thought the first act was funny, wait until you see the second. Now Jackie Blue as mother and mother-in-law Sophie starts to steal the show, even moreso when new love interest Maurice (Jim Sousa) shows up to light her fire.\u00a0 You’ll just have to see it.<\/p>\n

Act three brings home some of the sublter lessons we’re all going to have to learn about how to deal with aging, with aging parents, with the loss of our illusions and the changes that time can bring to our lives.\u00a0 With a whole lot of laughs.\u00a0 As it should be.<\/p>\n

Special kudos to director John Tranchitella, for putting the whole package together, and to the crew for creating this marvelously\u00a0intimate stage in the \u00a0Muriel Watkins Gallery.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss it!\u00a0 Limited engagement and seating.<\/p>\n

Through November 24, 2013 at Spindrift Players Theater at 1050 Crespi Dr., Pacifica CA<\/p>\n

Box Office:\u00a0 650-359-8002<\/p>\n

Website: pacificaspindriftplayers.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Review by David Hirzel\u00a0 www.davidhirzel.net<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Spindrift Theater (the building, not the troupe) in Pacifica suffered a structural near-catastrophe in August\u2014a major ceiling beam was about to give way, and the stage was closed.\u00a0 Nothing…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[80],"tags":[418,419,716,278,421,422,423,277,424,420,270],"class_list":{"0":"post-8397","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-david-hirzel","7":"tag-social-security","8":"tag-andrew-bergman","9":"tag-david-hirzel","10":"tag-gary-pugh-newman","11":"tag-henry-sellenthin","12":"tag-jackie-blue","13":"tag-jim-sousa","14":"tag-joanie-pugh-newman","15":"tag-john-tranchitella","16":"tag-joy-eaton","17":"tag-pacifca-spindrift-players"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"