Simon Charms JET
Ronelle Grier
Special to the Jewish News
N
eil Simon's Chapter Two pro-
vides a promising beginning
to Jewish Ensemble Theater's
20th season. The 1977 comedy-drama
portrays the relationship struggles of its
characters, novelist George Schneider
(Mark Rademacher) and aspiring
actress Jennie Malone
(Trisha Miller Smith).
When the play begins,
Jennie and George are
simultaneously returning home from
respective travels to Jamaica and Europe,
disheartened about the prospect of the
solitary lives that await them. George's
trip is an unsuccessful attempt to recov-
er from the recent death of his wife of
12 years while Jennie's is a post-divorce
vacation. Both characters are resigned
to their loneliness until George's brother,
Leo, meets Jennie in a restaurant; he
gives George her phone number.
Rademacher is convincing as the
grieving George, who is sincere, intel-
ligent and somewhat self-deprecating.
Smith's character, with a conservative
Cleveland upbringing, really comes into
her own during the second act when
she and George return from their hon-
eymoon, tense and disillusioned. Smith
gives a compelling speech after George
confesses that memories of his late wife
are keeping him from adjusting to his
new marriage to Jennie.
The play is almost three hours long,
but Artistic Director Evelyn Orbach's
direction keeps the scenes moving
at a good pace. The set, designed by
Frederick Engelgau, is a split stage con-
sisting of George's Central Park West
apartment and Jennie's Upper East
Side abode. The props are in keeping
with the era in which the play was writ-
ten, including an oversized
typewriter and large, corded
telephones. Jim Davis makes
effective use of lighting.
The play's comic relief is provided by
the supporting characters: Jennie's bohe-
mian, impulsive friend and fellow soap
actress Faye Medwick (Linda Ramsay)
and George's brother, Leo (Aaron T.
Moore), a philandering public relations
executive who constantly tries to fix up
George with questionable women with
names like Bambi.
The interplay between the two men
and the two women adds another
dimension to the theme of making
relationships work in the midst of indi-
vidual diversity.
REV IEW
Speed the Plow.
Top celeb-
rity fashion stylist
Rachel Zoe [pro-
nounced "Zohl
has a new Bravo
docu-drama series
that follows her
Rachel Zoe
and her team
around as they build a new design
business for the general public
while she continues to service her
celebrity clients, many of whom
are "A-Listers." The show, which
debuted Sept. 9, airs 10 p.m.
Tuesdays.
Zoe, 37, was born Rachel Zoe
Rosenzweig to a wealthy Jewish
family and grew up in a wealthy
New York suburb. Her husband,
Rodger Berman, is a former
investment banker who now pro-
duces/owns various award shows.
❑
Chapter Two runs through
Sunday, Sept. 28, at JET, located
in the Jewish Community Center
in West Bloomfield. For informa-
tion and tickets, call (248) 788-
2900 or go to jettheatre.org .
This gives him an opportunity to
travel with his wife as she styles
the celebs. He's prominently fea-
tured on the new series.
Zoe was among the first to con-
clude that styling for celebs could
be a year-round job that went
beyond award-show season. With
the rise of constant media scruti-
ny, Zoe realized celebs often were
on camera any time they left their
home and needed to be styled
almost around the clock, including
in casual wear.
The demand for her services
has grown exponentially in the last
decade, and Zoe rarely has time to
even speak on the phone with her
mother or sister. She told a maga-
zine: "My whole family e-mails me
now to get in touch with me. I mean,
imagine the Jewish guilt in my fam-
ily — you have no idea." ❑
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