Israel Horovitz’s latest play is a witty comedy
By MARK SARDELLA
It should come as no surprise that as playwright Israel Horovitz has grown older, the 1956 Wakefield High School graduate’s plays have explored themes of aging. The title of last year’s “Man in Snow” referred in one sense to the whitening hair that comes with age.
In “Out of the Mouths of Babes,” Horovitz’s current offering at Gloucester Stage, he returns to his beloved Paris where four women have arrived for the funeral of the 100-year-old man who loved all of them – at times separately and at times simultaneously – along with a host of other conquests along the way.
These “babes” out of whose mouths Horovitz’s words come were all one-time students of the professor/writer who became lovers and/or wives of the “rock star” university teacher. They arrive in succession at the Paris apartment that they each at various times shared with of the recently deceased centenarian.
There’s Evelyn (played by Debra Wise) 88, who is already at the apartment when Evvie (Paula Plum), a relative spring chicken at 68, arrives. A short time later, a somewhat younger Janice (Sarah Hickler) shows up. All three, it comes out in conversation, are Americans from the Boston area. Finally, there’s Marie-Belle (Obehi Janice) the youngest of them all and the late professor’s Senegalese widow who currently lives in the apartment and sent out invitations to others to come and attend the funeral.
While the two older women, Evelyn and Evvie claim to have no use for their self-absorbed former lover, the fact that they’ve traveled 3,000 miles from the states to attend his funeral suggests they continue to be haunted by him. Marie-Belle appears to be literally haunted. With upward turned, adoring eyes, she often addresses him and then conveys his responses to the others. She also occasionally breaks into fits of laughter as he “tickles” her from beyond the grave.
The unseen main character, the legendary professor, is never named, but only referred to by the second-person pronouns “he” and “him” (or is it He and Him?). And he is pretty much the only subject the women have any interest in discussing.
“Out of the Mouths of Babes” is the second play in a trilogy by Horovitz dealing with Americans in Paris. The first Play in the trilogy was “My Old Lady.” “Out of the Mouths of Babes” is a much lighter comedy than “My Old Lady.”
And it is a funny play. Horovitz knows how to write comedy and the jokes work, especially when delivered with caustic disdain by Plum and Wise.
But feminists may be put off by Horovitz’s apparent homage to a womanizing egomaniac who took full advantage of the so called “French marriage,” where women are expected to tolerate their husband’s infidelities, especially when he is so omnipotent that even in death he is able to give women orgasms.
C’est la vie. There is plenty to appreciate about this production, including its all-female cast, who work well together under Horovitz’s direction.
In all, an amusing way to spend a couple of late-summer hours.
—
Israel Horovitz’s Out of the Mouths of Babes runs through September 2 at Gloucester Stage, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm with a special Tuesday evening performance on Tuesday, August 29 at 7:30 pm. Following the 2 pm performances on Sunday, August 20 and Sunday, August 27 audiences are invited to free post-show discussions with the artists from Out of the Mouths of Babes. Single ticket prices are $32 to $42 with discounts available for Preview Performances, Cape Ann Residents, Senior Citizens and Patrons 25 years old and under. For more information about Gloucester Stage, or to purchase tickets, call the Box Office at 978-281-4433 or visit http://www.gloucesterstage.com
[This review originally appeared in the August 15, 2017 Wakefield Daily Item.]
(Photos by Gary Ng.)
Filed under: Columns & Essays, Feature stories, Opinion, Reviews, theater, Wakefield | Leave a Comment
Tags: comedy, Debra Wise, France, French, Gary Ng, Gloucester Stage, Israel Horovitz, Mark Sardella, Obehi Janice, Out of the Mouths of Babes, Paris, Paula Plum, play, Sarah Hickler, theater, theatre, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA, women
Search this site
Categories
Flickr Photos
Archives
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
Recent Comments
John terravecchia on High school math John Michael Terrave… on Brave New World Mark Sardella on Brave New World John Terravecchia on Brave New World Carole Scovel on Sentimental journey Blog Stats
- 351,766 hits
LINKS
No Responses Yet to “Israel Horovitz’s latest play is a witty comedy”