Part of Lovesick’s
buoyancy comes from director Michole Biancosino’s event-style staging concept.
A raised platform sports an ever-changing band, while a wall of cubed lights
provides a backdrop of hearts and other effects. Below is a bar/street scene,
which can also be morphed into a boudoir thanks to a foldout bed. The fourteen
cast members, almost equally balanced in terms of gender are all accomplished
musicians as well as actors, and each gets a turn at the mic as well as
appearing in self-contained but interrelated skits. The pieces all have a
“reveal” of some kind, most of them expertly timed and extremely funny: a few
tender and lyrical. Interstitial monologues are provided by charmingly
off-center emcee Michael Nathanson, whose acoustic ballad “Crazy” sets the tone
for the evening.
Taking advantage of the variety of voices in the ensemble, versatile songsmith Tony Biancosino explores numerous musical genres, from contemporary pop idioms to alternative rock and torch. Like the script, the numbers offer a jaundiced view of relationships, but somehow leave you feeling that love is a worthwhile pursuit in spite of all its pitfalls.
It would be interesting to see what Romeo and Biancosino could do if they were to turn their attention to a full length musical. In the meantime, audiences seeking the perfect Valentine’s Day activity are advised to bring a date to Lovesick. It’s a guaranteed to be a better deal than the overpriced special menu at your local bistro. Another V-Day plus: 59E59 has its own bar, where both the liquor and the company are top shelf.
Lovesick or Things That Don't Happen; Written by Lia Romeo;Original songs by Tony Biancosino; Conceived and directed by Michole Biancosino; 59E59 Theaters; 59 East 59th Street; New York, NY 10153; (212)
753-5959
