By Marilyn Jozwik
I had totally forgotten about the iconic orange roofs and 28 flavors of ice cream at the once popular Howard Johnson restaurants and motor lodges– until I saw Sunset Playhouse’s “Murder at the Howard Johnson.”
Set within the orange and blue walls of a Howard Johnson room with the signage for the place glowing outside its windows and a pink rotary phone on the nightstand, the play clearly puts the audience in the ’70s for a rollicking comedy.
At the heart of the mischief are Arlene (Angela Bolmes), a spoiled, selfish young woman who has grown tired of her devoted, adoring husband, Paul (Jim Mallmann), and has taken a lover, the family dentist Mitchell (Peter Brian Kelly). All three, at some point, feel they have a good reason to commit murder, and elaborate plans are hatched on three different holidays to carry out the deed in a Howard Johnson room. Who will come out alive is the big question.
Mitchell (Peter Brian Kelly), right, tells his mistress’s husband, Paul (Jim Mallmann), about the murder plan he intends to carry out in a scene from Sunset Playhouse’s “Murder at the Howard Johnson.”
The play, by Bob Bobrick and Ron Clark, pokes fun at the ’70s era of self-awareness, especially in the character of Arlene, who can’t see beyond her own self-interests and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Bolmes captures the drama queen to perfection. In her quest for freedom and fulfillment, Arlene toggles between the two men who love her, but is always distracted by the next shiny object. “Which one do I love, which one do I destroy?” she muses. At one point Paul and Mitchell fight on a narrow ledge outside the hotel room, in danger of plunging to their deaths onto the pavement several stories below. At first, she is delighted by their interest in her and concerned for their welfare, but when Independence Day fireworks appear outside her window, she turns her attention to that spectacle.
As the smarmy dentist Mitchell, Kelly too is well cast. His character finds himself in the middle of several dicey situations, from re-enacting a complicated murder attempt to running for his life in his very colorful underwear and maneuvering on a ledge outside his hotel room. Kelly bobs and weaves his way through the hilarity, as he uncovers a myriad of excuses for his unseemly behavior.
In contrast to Mitchell’s colorful – literally – character is the bland Paul, who prefers greys on the color wheel. I love Mallmann’s deadpan take on Arlene’s husband Paul, a used car salesman who works long hours to provide his wife with everything her heart desires. Mallmann’s Paul revels in the “kick me” sign he metaphorically has on his back, while he frequently complains about being “shafted” – like when he gets only wings in his bucket of fried chicken when he asked for breasts. We get a glimpse of his chauvinistic tendencies when he declares, ruefully, “Women are starting to think now.” There is something so delightfully pathetic about Paul that Mallmann captures nicely.
Jim Mallmann, Angela Bolmes and Peter Brian Kelly are featured in Sunset Playhouse’s “Murder at the Howard Johnson.”
Michael Pocaro directs the trio with a deft hand for all the nuances of this clever comedy. The three performers are a perfect fit for their distinct characters. They mesh beautifully and maintain the pace and physicality to keep the comedy rolling.
While there are lots of funny gags here, they tend to repeat in different forms in each of the scenes. Nonetheless, there is something fresh and a little Woody Allen-esque about the humor.
The scenes – especially with views to the outside – are especially well done, capturing a snowy Christmas and the tops of skyscrapers. Plus, the clever revolving windows work perfectly for the hilarious and precarious tussle between Paul and Mitchell.
If you go:
Who: Sunset Playhouse
What: “Murder at the Howard Johnson”
When: Through Sept. 21
Where: 700 Wall St., Elm Grove
Tickets/Info: 262-782-4430; SunsetPlayhouse.com