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| L - R Melodie Shih, Patrick Warburton and Talon Warburton - Production Stills by Chris Devlin |
By Joe Straw 9
David Ives has plays running all over Los Angeles, in a few short months one has seen “Metromaniacs” an adaptation at Theatre 40 and “All in the Timing” at the Zephyr both were excellent productions.
The best thing one can say about David Ives’ work is that he has a warped sense of humor trapped in a bizzarro world, and he uses those ideas to create works that ring an existential truth and one that also delves in a deeper meaning of life.
All in the Timing, a 90-minute series of one-acts, written by David Ives and directed by Michael Yavnieli is now playing through November 20 at the Zephyr Theatre on Melrose in Los Angeles, California.
All in the Timing is a lot of fun with marvelous performances all around. The one-acts are wonderfully directed by Michael Yavnieli. The work is excellent and there is something here for everyone to enjoy. And you get Patrick Warburton to boot. If there is one show you should run to see in Los Angeles this weekend, this should be that show.
Also, the show features animation that will delight, excite the senses, and/or annoy depending on your frame of mind. And that was created by Ron Yavnieli.
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When one walks into the Zephyr Theatre one sees a pipe projected on the upstage wall with a caption underneath labeled “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” (this is not a pipe). Your job may be to discern the meaning of that statement given what you believe is before your eyes.
Each of the one-acts takes place on August 21 in various years and the one that is verifiable is 08/21/1940 the death of Leon Trotsky.
Taylor Behrens and Meadow Clare
“Sure Thing” takes place in a café. Betty (Meadow Clare) is waiting when Bill (Taylor Behrens) interrupts her to get to know her. But as these things go each has a second chance to make good on the relationship simply by ringing the bell and beginning again at the break-off point.
Meadow Clare and Taylor Beherns are exceptional in the roles and neither miss a step to get what they want. Their work was superb.
L-R Bill Butts, Talong Warburton, and Patrick Warburton
“Mere Mortals” appears to be about high-rise construction workers based on the animation of a bird flying by a construction site. Joe (Bill Butts), Frank (Talon Warburton) and Charlie (Patrick Warburton) get ready to lunch and for the most part a normal day. But this is no ordinary day, they want to throw away the mundane, and speak as to why they are exceptional. And the truth is, well the truth flies out the window.
Patrick Warburton led this group with his dry deadpan delivery, the squinting eyes, and remarkable timing. Bill Butts and Talon Warburton follow suit with their words of deception and one-upmanship.
L-R Melodie Shih, Maram Kamal and Meadow Clare
“Words, Words, Words” is the story of three chimps, who somehow or another have been captured and given life until infinity. The goal of the unseen researchers and their hypothesis that, given time, chimps can write “Hamlet”. Possibly not these chimps who can barely peck a manual typewriter, but they are able to speak English. Given a chance to present, they revert to ape form and start screeching when things are not going their way. The researchers have given the writers names: Swift after Jonathan Swift, Kafka for Franz Kafka and Milton for John Milton. Swift (Meadow Clare) is a chimp that barely stands upright. Milton (Melodie Shih) screeches with the best of them. And Kafka (Maram Kamal) is an introspective chimp and the one moving in the right direction.
Marma Kamal’s Kafka is low-key and is concentrating on her work but ignores the antics of her partners in crime. If Kafka is moving the right direction, she must prove it to her partners before the ending. Swatting away the lice picking friend and closing her ears to the screeching are the annoyances of the learning processes and must lead her back to the typewriter.
Just to step aside for a moment, the one-acts directed under Michael Yavnieli starts getting better and better.
Mark Haan and Tania Gonzalez - Photo by Maram Kamal
“The Universal Language” is the story of Dawn (Tania Gonzalez) wanting to come into a language program to cure a stutter. (That’s what the program said but I don’t remember the stutter at all.) Nevertheless Don (Mark Haan) wants to teach Dawn a new language “Unamunda” and it’s going to cost Dawn a lot of money that she doesn’t have. Don starts the lesson right away. Dawn picks up the language and by the end of it she is fluent. Haan and Gonzalez make an incredible duo in this play, playing off each other, moving along in a language not their own. Haan has a strong voice and Gonzalez makes the most of her moments. Both are wonderful.
“The Philadelphia” is a state of mind. Unsuspectingly it captures Mark (Talon Warburton), and he is absolutely lost when the waitress (Melodie Shih) can’t get his order. It’s up to Al (Patrick Warburton) to explain to Mark the manner to which he has been captured and the resolution to the problem.
“Variations on the Death of Trotsky” Leon Trotsky was a politician and a theorist who escaped from Siberia twice after being arrested and later in life is found, to his detriment, living in Mexico City. It is here the play takes place after an ice axe has already struck his head. Trotsky survives the attack for a time and continues to work with the help of Mrs. Trotsky (Maram Kamal) while his attacker Romón (Mark Haan) watches his slow demise. It’s hard watching a character on stage walking around with an ice axe in his head. (Actually, his parietal bone) But that is how Trotsky (Talon Warburton) live and died. (08/21/1940)
One can imagine all that went on after the axe went through his skull, the chaos, the screaming, the medical attention, and the shedding of tears but none of that happened. There may be more the actors can include to highlight their performances including the killer who waits for death and the concerned wife.
Run! Run! Run! And take someone who enjoys the heck out of crossword puzzles. They’ll enjoy talking about the word play in this offering on the way home.
All in the Timing Six one Act Plays + Mere Mortals was produced by Western Warburton in association with MY / Acting Studios. The Executive Producer was Patrick Warburton and produced by Tania Gonzalez and Michael Yavnieli.
Other members of the crew are as follows:
Nick Foran – Production Design
Angelica Diaz Estevez – Production Stage Manager
Sandra Kuker PR – Publicist
Tania Gonzalez – Music Supervisor
Emmy Newman – House Manager
Chris Devlin – Graphic Design