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Biloxi Blues
By Neil Simon
Directed by Seth Remington
Produced by RiMeChi Theatre
At Keyhole Theatre
1500 N. Bell
Chicago, IL
Call 312-324-0362, tickets $20 - $25 ($10 for students, seniors & veterans)
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 7 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 10 minutes with intermission
Through Oct. 7, 2007
“Once you start compromising your thoughts,'' Arnold tells Eugene, ''you're a candidate for mediocrity.'' ---from Biloxi Blues by Neil Simon
Workable Biloxi Blues delivers enough Simon wit to please
RiMeChi Theatre Company has mounted a worthy production of Neil Simon’s autobiographical comedic drama, Biloxi Blues. The story revolves around Eugene Morris Jerome (Richard Leo Madison) ---echo of Neil Simon—as he is inducted into the U.S. Army in 1943 for World War II. This is a coming of age story that is filled with Simon’s one-liners that seemed to float over the youngish opening night audience despite valiant efforts from Richard Leo Madison (as Eugene) and the ensemble to deftly land each zinger. Biloxi Blues contains serious issues such as prejudice against homosexuals, anti-Semitism and the dehumanizing of military training.
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The six inductees were sprinkled with young guys from Simon’s era including Selridge (Zack Geoffroy) an insecure kid—Wykowski (Travis Gauchay) the crude, ignorant Polish begot—Carney (Jordan Eastwood) the vacillating youth—Hennesey (Charles Riffebgurg) the quiet nice guy—and Epstein (Evan Kaufmann)—the Jewish intellectual who fights for his principles. Director Seth Remington emphasizes the character interaction over merely nailing the one liners. This essentially works.
Christopher Marcum is a hoot as the screaming, disciplinary oriented drill Sergeant. Marcum’s eyes almost pop out as he drives home his harassing tactics in order to shape these boys into men capable of fighting in a World War.
Biloxi Blues is really a growing up tale about how Eugene becomes a soldier, a stud and a lover as much as it is about Eugene maturing as a writer. Filled with many funny one liners, Simon’s smart use of common language to nail humor, to tell a story and to develop character is present here. This is one of Simon’s more serious works that contain anti-Semitic and anti-gay scenes as well as a subtle look at the dilemma between individual identity and Army assimilation. Epstein tells Eugene to fight the battles worth fighting for and not to just sit around and observe. This work won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1985 and it still holds up today as both a comedy and a coming of age tale.
The cast delivered terrific ensemble work. I especially liked the work of Christopher Marcum as Sgt. Toomey and Richard Leo Madison as Eugene. Biloxi Blues deserves an audience.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2007
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