In keeping with the current cultural fascination with sex in the ‘60s, The Paper Mill Playhouse brings theatergoers Boeing Boeing, which captures both the innocence of an era when all the sex was insinuated and the wild slapstick and spit takes of a madcap romance.
The beginning of first act, while the plot is set up, is a little slow, but toward the end of the first act and during the second, the audience laughed uproariously as the obvious unfolded.
Bernard (played by Matt Walton), is engaged to three women from different countries all of whom work as air-hostesses (known today as flight attendants) for different airlines. They all have different schedules, and, as far as Bernard’s concerned, it works out perfectly.
Until it doesn’t.
That’s when the fun begins. With help from his French maid (played comically by Tony winner Beth Leavel) and his naïve friend Robert Lambert from Wisconsin (played by John Scherer) visiting his Paris flat, he tries to keep the women from running into each other on a weekend when their flights are cancelled or delayed, leaving all three in Paris at the same time.
Leavel provides much of the physical comedy as the French maid and cook being run ragged by juggling the three women and their appetites and various tastes in cuisine. (Some in the audience were reminded of Lucille Ball’s antics.)
We won’t spoil it by telling you what happens next or about the twist with his fiancé from New York (played by Heather Parcells) because that would take the fun out of it.
But suffice to say that all three women – the Italian Gabriella (played by Brynn O’Malley), the German Gretchen (played by Anne Horak) and the American Gloria – play to the stereotypes of their cultures with aplomb, albeit with a lot of screaming, yelling and kissing.
If you’re looking for something light in the dark of winter, Boeing Boeing will take you on a fanciful flight. Leaving the theater on opening night, the description heard most was “cute.” If you want serious theater, this is not your show.
Boeing Boeing plays through Feb. 12, and tickets start at $25 each. Check out the Paper Mill Playhouse’s website for more information.
