Stage Kiss at the Goodman - Recommended

This is a very pleasant comedy from the pen of Sarah Ruhl, staged at the Goodman. It is full of plenty of insider theater references, has its fair share of belly laughs and truly innovative non-sequitirs ("Its like giving bacon to a starving vegetarian"), and - as expected - it shows off the considerable set design talents of the Goodman staff. Kudos to Todd Rosenthal for set design!

The plot mines all-too-familiar territory (a bad play mounted by a largely incompetent staff in a small regional theater), with some delightfully terrible plot lines for the plays-within-the-play. I only shudder to think that these "romance novels set to stage" may one day actually appear in print...

The twist that Ms. Ruhl provides is yet another well-mined issue: where is the line between what happens on stage and reality? Can an onstage romance re-kindle one abandoned many years ago? It must be said that, while the territory and twist are familiar, the play and its production are entertaining and on many occasions quite hilarious.

Most satisfying amongst the actors are, ironically, Sarah Tolan-Mee in the character of the teenage daughter, Angela, and Scott Jaeck in the role of husband - the two characters most firmly rooted in reality. In particular, Ms. Tolan-Mee's performance significantly outshines the rest of the troupe, who all put on solid if not stellar performances.

Some of the comic turns are wonderful, in particular the "false exit" routine. Others, like the repeated injuries, would do better without repetition.

The music nicely reflects the slapstick of many moments in the play, and Jenny Bacon in the lead role as "She" demonstrates a particular talent for physical comedy.

So, what keeps this from being "highly recommended?" One reason is that the writing could be tighter: at 2:15, it could easily shed 15 minutes, perhaps 30. The play never really drags, but it misses the opportunity to take off, and my sense is that some editing would help in that matter.

The second is more structural. For me, the highlight of the play was the encounter between the husband, daughter, He, She and Laurie, "His" girlfriend. Suddenly, the possibility of an encounter with real people emerges, and it is electrifying. There is a slight return to this reality at the closing of the play, but for a moment there was a glimpse beyond the farce, which Ms. Ruhl abandons. A missed opportunity, to say the least.

All in all, it is an entertaining and pleasant experience. Add the positive elements together - clever humor, fantastic set, a talented and energetic performance - and it's a night well spent at the theater.