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The first thing I need to warn readers about is this play has nothing to do with Jerome Robbins or Kern. Too bad; there might have been some interest, not to mention great music.
The mystery of "Jerome," by aspiring playwright John J. Caswell, Jr.--emphasis on aspiring--is how the readers at Playwrights Horizons chose this from the slush pile to produce, when they must receive hundreds of equally more worthy submissions..
It so desperately wants to have it both ways--be part of the passing AIDS play canon, and then not. Instead, it is deeply contrived.
Set in 1992, the trope is long familiar. A gay couple, and one of them is dying. Not from AIDS but, kidney failure due to acute alcoholism. The dying man desperately wants someone to replace him so when he goes the survivor will have someone. Hey, nice thought, but is it practical? So, what do they do? They go to this gay bar--are there any in Arizona, where this play is set? --pick up this hot, hunky guy, and, after a ribald one-night ménage a trois, decide he is the one to be the replacement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Are you kidding me? This makes about as much sense as the cannibalistic boys choosing Sebastian over Elizabeth Taylor, in "Suddenly, Last Summer."
The dying man, named Con (how clever!) is played by Stephen Spinellla, who gives a competent performance, but cannot rise to the occasion as the material gives him nothing to work with. What's more Spinella has aged considerably; to me, he looks like he is turning into Austin Pendleton!!!!!!!!!! Maybe Austin was offered this play but had the wisdom to turn it down. But everyone in the industry knows by now that when an actor is needed to portray a dying gay man, call Stephen Spinella!!!!!!!!!!! He is currently the Louise Fletcher of terminally ill gay roles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
His partner, Doane, wonderfully hunky and muscular, is played by Jorge Bennett Watson, and is probably the most fleshed out character, being allowed a range of emotions and opinions, while Ken Barrett, who plays Bruin, is comely enough, but, really, that is all the role requires. He is no loquacious hunk, like Chance Wayne in "Sweet Bird Of Youth." One has to wonder if this replacement thing goes through, what will this couple have to talk about or relate to?
That is because the playwright sheds no light. As for Dustin Willis, who is both the director and scenic designer---what the hell? His direction is OK enough when the material is treated like a sympathetic intimate drama. But then the floor sinks on stage, and the audience has no idea if it is going to Oz or Wonderland, but I am telling you, as an audience member, I fervently hoped we would go to either. The world of "Jerome" is inconsistent, to say the least.
Oh, and girls, you have to see the phony, faux "Death In Vencie" type ending, with everything onstage, including the actors' costumes, drenched in white. Like we are supposed to be impressed the playwright knows Thomas Mann? Or Luchino Visconti? Frankly, darlings, I was surprised.
If "Jerome" gets rave reviews, it won't be the first time this season the critics went crazy over crap; look at "The Lost Boys!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Readers, to you I say save your time and money, and avoid "Jerome." And to Playwrights Horizons, I say get me on your readership staff immediately, because by choosing this, you have no idea what constitutes good playwriting.
Unless the runners-up were even worse, which would not surprise me.
Incidentally, I have no desire to visit Arizona. Except maybe the one John Gavin and Janet Leigh are in at the opening of "Psycho" where Leigh utters my favorite line in the movie--
"I have to get back to the office. These extended lunch hours give my boss excess acid."
I got excess acid from"Jerome," which btw is a town in Arizona!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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