Restaurant -Hour
of Detroit
the magazine
Year
2004
I'm Not Rappaport'
JET opens season with a bang.
ing director), the play capably unfolds;
the cadence of numerous moments
between actors shows skill, promising
his return to the directing helm. Arthur
here isn't a reference in Herb
Beer's charismatic Nat deftly draws in
Gardner's
exceedingly
well
writ-
.
Midge and the rest of the cast. And
ten Tony Award-winner IM Not
Lynnae Lehfeldt's tour-de-force
Rappaport that's any less
turn as Nat's loving yet
relevant today than
long-suffering daughter,
when first staged in
Clara, is simply terrific.
1985. All of us should
But it's Council
age as gracefully.
Gargle's disarming nat-
In some ways, it's
uralism, masterful tim-
almost prescient: The
ing and sheer embodi-
marginalization of the
ment of Midge that
elderly packs even more
makes being in the
punch, with so many
audience pure delight.
more securing that title
Though Gardner's
for far longer a period.
Arthur Beer as Nat and
script plants innumer-
And in this nastiest of
able zingers in his
election years, its endless Council Cargle as Midge in
"IM Not Rappaport"
mouth, if Gargle were
grappling with truth
reading the Yellow Pages
shows how malleable
onstage, discriminating theatergoers
the construct remains.
The Jewish Ensemble Theatre is clear- would be well advised to buy a ticket.
Mary Copenhagen's costumes dress
ly off to another bang-up season.
each character appropriately; Monika
Nat and Midge (Arthur Beer and
Essen's scenery displays her characteristic
Council Cargle) are two seniors strug-
artistry, down to the weeds pushing
gling to be of consequence to anyone,
their way out of pavement cracks. A few
even each other. Nat's fanciful relation-
sound cues on preview night had
ship with fact makes him a kind of pest
carousel music playing lightly —
(it's likely no mistake that "gnat" and
though to great distraction — under
"Nat" share a pronunciation), but Nat's
spoken lines, presumably something to
outspokenness and triumphs on behalf
be ironed out as the run continues.
of the underdog captivate — or, more
Ultimately, who you are or what
typically, overpower — the make-no-
you've done with your life weighs little
waves Midge too much for him to cling
in determining whether or not, in the
to a grudge for any length.
end, you consider yourself a nobody.
"You ain't even friendly with the
As IM Not Rappaport shows, in that
truth," Midge scolds; yet despite him-
final tally, you can't actually secure the
self, he becomes a bit-player in Nat's
designation if you've impacted another
half-baked concoction to, among other
person's life. El
things, help Midge retain his building
super's job and boiler room apartment.
Now, if only Nat can cook up a
JET's production of I'm Not
scheme crafty enough to keep living as
Rappaport runs through Nov. 14
he has, too, unless sharing the truth
at the Jewish Community Center
proves more persuasive.
in
West Bloomfield.
Under first-time JET Director Chris
Bremer (his daily role is as JET'S manag-
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Celebritsr Jews
Farmington Hills native Elizabeth Berkley (Saved By the Bell, Showgirls) stars in
an episode of CBS's Without a Trace 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28. The episode is a
takeoff on the Fox series The Swan, in which reality show contestants get made
over by experts, including plastic surgery. Another actress will play Berkley in the
pre-op episode segments.
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505 S. Lafayette
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Call Simone at: 248.544.7373
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792850
10/22
2004
63