‘L’Appartement’ Is a Mind-Bending Comedy

Nick Narcisi, Emily Vitrano, Jonathan Bangs and Cara Johnston in Renaissance Theaterworks’ production of L”APPARTEMENT by Joanna Murray-Smith. Photo by Nathaniel Schardin, Traveling Lemur Productions.

It is inconceivable that American audiences are not yet familiar with prolific Joanna Murray-Smith, one of Australia’s busiest playwrights, though I suspect that soon will change given her output (including a new movie), her gift for penetrating slangy dialogue and the witty and even outlandish construction techniques she inventively expands from such masters of comedy as Moliere and Neil Simon.

For this North American premiere of L’Appartement, the play is produced by the collective talents at Renaissance Theaterworks, where the polished technical elements blend with an acting style that alternates farce with serious domestic fights – and could never be dared by director Mallory Metoxen without a cast physically and emotionally adept at the broadness.

It is American middle class marriage as well as international morality that are being taken apart though the setting is the most affluent trendy district of Paris where unbelievably rich and sexy Serge and Lea (Jonathan Bangs and Cara Johnston) are loaning their pristine, black-and-white cultured apartment to vacationing parents Meg and Rooster (Emily Vitrano and Nick Narcisi), escaping from their young children and humdrum lives.

What starts out as a comedy of manners – will the Americans follow all the strict rules and elitist cleanliness set by their departing hosts? – sets us up for confrontations not expected and some we actually fear will happen.

But this is a dance of inverted expectations. In dress and cautious American mannerisms, Vitrano’s Meg initially appears subdued to the dominating sarcasm of Narcisi as Rooster, but she turns out to be the more daring and dominating of the two, while he has to try and explain himself, humorously, losing his way several times before gaining competence in the relationship. Some of Narcisi’s reactions are too obvious, but his best moments of immediacy and feelings more than compensate. Vitrano becomes a comic dynamo, resisting and succumbing to her impulses.

Comedically, Johnston wiggles Lea into our brain as the ultimate outrageously sophisticated Parisian, just as Bangs makes Serge seem the ultimate in cool and self-possession. They disappear for much of the play, leaving an outrageous sculpture as an unintended reminder — and when they return their veneers are soon shredded – maybe too quickly, but boy, do we want that to happen.

Smith has forced into this alchemy of couples some thought-provoking dissections of marriage, cultural heritage, tribal appropriations, racism plus sexual innuendo too outrageous to seem dirty. It never feels like we are being lectured, but sometimes we are.

Smith’s styling devices allow comedy to flourish and then revelations to sneak in. The bounce within characters sometimes seems too extreme to fit in one play, given how insults give way to rumination about the realities of the world. The actors push a few crescendos, but we tend to forgive those stretches in belief because we accept the comic premise and the results. This is a playwright who may not be perfect, but we want to hear and see more.

One big reason is the technical elements. Jason Fassl has designed and lit a fastidious Parisian apartment where the black leather furniture and marble white floor serve functions as well as good looks. Kim Instenes’ costumes brilliantly separate the American grunge look from the impeccable Parisians.

Production manager Bailey Wegner may not be identified with a particular craft — not like props designer Bianca Gonzalez and sound designer Sarah Ramos (her Parisian score plays a role in the story), but there are many elements she had to integrate. The technical elements are not an added plus; they are integral to the entire success.

Under two hours without intermission “L’Appartement” runs through April 14 at Renaissance’s new home in Next Act Theatre, 225 S. Water St. Tickets are at https://www.r-t-w.com/shows/lappartement/

L’Appartement Gallery

Dominique Paul Noth served for decades as film and drama critic, later senior editor for features at the Milwaukee Journal. You’ll find his blog here and here.