‘Oscar: A Good Man’ can’t figure out what it wants to be
An original play about our mayor produced just prior to an election in which his wife is a prime candidate to replace him is bound to raise some eyebrows.
With the title "Oscar: A Good Man," you assume this premiere theatre7 production is either a salute to our fearless leader or a satirical romp. After seeing it, I’m still not sure. And I have a hunch the writers (Ryan Eicher and Derek Stonebarger) and director (Eicher) aren’t either.
The performance space — which doubles as an art gallery and movie theater — is small, but just about all this troupe needs. There’s a huge screen with video clips that extend the live action.
The story begins in 1940s Philadelphia with young Oscar dealing with anti-Semitism. We witness his stumbling at early romance, move to Vegas, discovery of the joys of gin, controversial law career, tenure as mayor and support of his wife’s current campaign. Most of it is tongue-in-cheek. (Except for a gooey section toward the end that features "common" people telling the camera how much they love Oscar. Is this a peace offering to Goodman’s attorneys?)
About a third of the lines land well, but there are too many duds, even for a show in which dud is supposed to be part of the joke. The creative team seems more interested in the screen than the stage. For example, the video lighting is professional level but amateur-crude for the live sequences.
Still, I enjoyed the company of this company.
Stonebarger’s Oscar (last name Goodfella) is charismatic, with an energy level that makes you want to watch him. Eicher’s enthusiasm while portraying a variety of bad guys is infectious. Paige Billiot makes for a convincing politician’s wife, who’s learned to strike all the right poses. And several people in minor onscreen roles — Anthony Avery as Abraham Lincoln, Brenda Grippi as an impatient newscaster and Marco Antonio as a well-tipped valet — capture your attention.
As a performance piece, this is no milestone. But it’s put together by people whose artistry makes me eager to see them again. I have a hunch theatre7 has good days ahead.
Anthony Del Valle can be reached at vegastheaterchat @aol.com. You can write him c/o Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125.