‘Dead Man’s Cell Phone’ answer the call for comedy

In 'Dead Man's Cell Phone,' the play uses an unlikely gadget to explore life, love and human connections.
 

We’ve all been there before — enjoying a quiet dinner or sitting in a dark theater when all of sudden the incessant ringing of a cell phone threatens to put the kibosh on the whole evening.

But in the case of Sarah Ruhl’s quirky comedy Dead Man's Cell Phone, on stage through Sunday at Belmont’s Black Box Theater, the ringing cell phone serves as a way to jump start the fun rather than bring it to an end.

As the play opens, a young woman named Jean sits alone in a café sipping her soup. A man sits stiffly at a nearby table while his phone rings. And rings. And rings. But as Jean soon discovers, he isn’t being rude — he’s dead.

With an odd sense of duty Jean answers the phone, embarking on a fast-paced adventure of romance and self-discovery.

Directed by Actor’s Bridge Founding Artistic Director Bill Feehely, Dead Man's Cell Phone features a terrific cast and creative team. Don Griffith’s rotating sets are stylish and efficient, complemented by Mitch Massaro’s lighting (though more probably could be done to enhance the play’s more surreal aspects).

On stage, the wonderfully expressive Brooke Bryant lends her considerable talents to the role of Jean. And Paul Gatrell (chair of Belmont’s Department of Theatre and Dance) delivers a scorching monologue as Gordon, the dead man in question. Judy Jackson and Alice Raver grab some of the evening’s biggest laughs as Gordon’s mother and widow, respectively, while Kurt Schlachter and C.J. Tucker round out the cast with solid performances.

In Cell Phone, Ruhl uses an unlikely gadget to explore life, love and human connections. And though the play can’t seem to decide whether it wants to be light-hearted farce or delve into deeper themes, there’s no denying Ruhl’s gift for colorful characters and clever dialogue.

As Gordon’s mother quips at her son’s funeral: “Thank God for people who build churches so we have a place to go when someone dies or gets married.” She later asks Jean to stay for dinner because she finds her “comforting — like a very small casserole.”

Indeed, there is something quite comforting, if a bit bizarre, about Ruhl’s particular brand of humor. But if you’re looking for a thought-provoking evening of fun, this Cell Phone certainly has your number.

What: Dead Man's Cell Phone
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: Belmont’s Black Box Theater, 1575 Compton Ave. (just off Belmont Boulevard)
Cost: $15
Info: 341-0300, actorsbridge.org