By Sue Nedar
Breaking Legs – Written by Tom Dulack. Co-directed by Hen Zannini and Fred Davison.
There’s always something cleverly ironic about a play about a play; but when you throw in some stereotypical Italian New England mobsters, a brassy gum-snapping Boss’s daughter, and a nerdy (and very neurotic) professor, sprinkle it with pasta fagioli, (pronounced Fazool) and some not greasy, not fishy calamari, (pronounced Galmar) you’ve got the cute and funny Breaking Legs.
Fred Davison plays mob boss and restaurateur Lou Graziano, while Eileen Goretaya portrays his sassy daughter, Angie. Lou’s “business associates” are played by; Mike Petrarca, as Mike Francisco, and J.P. McCormick as Tino DeFelice. Angie’s former professor and playwright Terrance O’Keefe is played by Jeff Blanchette. Poor Frankie Salvucci, who can’t seem to pay his debt, is played by Tony Annicone.
As the story goes, Terrence has written a very dark play about murder, and he’s seeking financial backers to mount his play off, off, off Broadway. Somehow, he has found his way to Lou, and Angie’s restaurant, where the “business associates” discuss whether or not they should front the one million dollars Terrance needs. Therein lies the basic premise. Naturally, there’s romance, death, and eating … lots, and lots of eating and drinking thrown in throughout.
Davison plays the patriarch mobster with a laid back finesse which reminded me of Dick Van Dyke at times. The audience knows he’s the boss, yet he doesn’t have to shout and yell to make that point. In fact, even when Lou is frustrated, Davison is unflappable, and never goes over the top. Petrarca’s Mike Francisco is exactly the opposite. He’s the guy whose lips don’t move when he laughs, who butchers the English language, and is bigger than life in his mafioso-ness. Petrarca is a hoot in his delivery! And then there’s McCormick in his portrayal of the enforcer, Tino. In my opinion, the role of Tino is the most challenging of the three, in that he’s clearly the knee breaker, but he doesn’t say a lot. It’s all delivered with his mannerisms, and his body language. However, when he does say something, it’s a knee-slapper! McCormick nailed it! I found my eyes on him throughout most of the performance, because I found his mannerisms and facial expressions hilarious. Annicone has one scene where he gets to shine, as the sad sack Frankie who is in deep trouble, and he knows it. Annicone stutters, stammers and shakes perfectly. Blanchette’s Terrance is all at once a smarmy, nerdy, neurotic, bundle of nerves as he tiptoes and tap dances through this crazy foreign Italian mobster culture, even as he’s navigating his lust for Angie. And last, but not least, is Goretaya in the role of Angie. Ms Goretaya has channeled Marisa Tomei, ala My Cousin Vinny to a tee. She’s perfectly believable as the bossy Italian Princess, and delivered the goods like a pro.
Zannini and Davison, sharing the directing credit, blocked the action cleverly, given that 99% of it takes place at a dinner table, and they keep the pace moving quickly. Breaking Legs is a fun night at the theatre. It will make you laugh, and forget your troubles for two hours… and what could be better?
Breaking Legs runs now through March 24, 2019 at The Arctic Playhouse
BREAKING LEGS (7 to 24 March)
Arctic Playhouse, 117 Washington Street, West Warwick, RI
1(401)573-3443 or www.thearcticplayhouse.com
