NEW YORK—Now at Playwrights Horizons is Sarah Ruhl's rather enjoyable quirky comedy (with a hint of film noir) Dead Man's Cell Phone. The play, which borrows at least a bit of the premise from the movie While You Were Sleeping, could also be subtitled "geeks in love."
In a quiet café, Jean (Mary-Louise Parker) is becoming more and more annoyed by the repeated ringing of a nearby stranger's cell phone. She goes over to complain, only to find that he is dead. In a moment of good samaritanship, she answers the phone, and then answers it again and again, becoming a kind of lifeline to the dead man's (whose name we later learn is Gordon (T. Ryder Smith)) friends and family. Believing only the best in people, Jean makes up stories about Gordon's final moments in an attempt to tell his loved ones what she thinks they want to hear.
But we soon learn Gordon was not such a nice guy. He was a philandering husband and recently ended a long-term affair with his mistress (Carla Harting); he had a strained relationship with his mother (the wonderfully over-the-top Kathleen Chalfant); and was also engaged in some very unsavory business practices. In addition, there is certain information in Gordon's cell phone address book, now in Jean's possession, which someone will do anything to obtain.
This is a rather lightweight comedy, brought to life by the wonderful cast, especially with Parker as Jean. A mousy, eager to please person, this is probably the most exciting thing that's ever happened to her. However, she lets things go too far, answering the cell phone, and meeting the people who call, when she should instead be pursuing a sweet and blossoming relationship with Gordon's somewhat shy brother, Dwight (David Aaron Baker). (Who knew stationary could be so erotic?)
In the end both Jean and Gordon, who have a sort of otherworldly meeting, learn a gentle lesion about what's important in life, such as not being afraid to face your feelings and to take a chance on love before it's too late.
The pace is a bit slow moving at times, but fits the story, which combines flashes of humor and gentle bits of comedy (all played perfectly straight) with the more serious subjects of death, dying, redemption, forgiveness and lobster bisque. (There are also more than a few pointed swipes at the incessant ringing of cell phones and being slaves to technology.) The only thing that should have been cut is some of Smith's monologue at the beginning of act two, which contains information (especially about his business) that's not really needed.
From the moment she first speaks, Parker makes Jean wonderfully endearing, and you find yourself rooting for her even as she falls deeper and deeper into the morass that is Gordon's life. Chalfant is exquisite as Gordon's mom, having some of the best lines in the play with a wonderful last scene which will hopefully be remembered at awards time. Harting is nicely vampy and mysterious as the other woman; Kelly Maurer is servable as Gordon's wife, a role that unfortunately gives her little to do; while Baker's Dwight is the perfect romantic partner for Jean. Smith works well as the deceased, making the character, if not all that likable, at least rather interesting. Anne Bogart's deliberately paced direction works well. The scenic and costume design by G.W. Mercier are nice.
Dead Man's Cell Phone
Playwrights Horizons
416 West 42nd Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.playwrightshorions.org
Running Time: Approximately Two hours
Closes: March 23, 2008
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage.
Feeds