Charlie (the deputy mayor of New York City) and Myra (the wife) are hosting a party to celebrate their tenth anniversary. What could possibly go wrong?
Everything, apparently.
When the first guests arrive, they are greeted by the sound of a gunshot, and it’s all downhill from there. Charlie’s shot himself in the earlobe, and Myra is nowhere to be found. Chris and Ken, the first on the scene, don’t know what’s going on or why there’s been a gunshot, but they do know that they need to keep it under wraps, lest the scandal of the deputy mayor’s failed suicide attempt leak.
Scene from Rumors. Photo provided.
As more and more guests arrive, all learning bits and pieces of the true story, the lies spiral and compound. Hilarity and farce ensue as the guests try to keep their stories straight: Myra’s not here, she’s upstairs getting dressed… no, her zipper’s stuck… no, she’s watching a program about Hitler… no, no, she’s been locked in the basement! Glenn… Len… no, Ken is deaf from a gunshot… no, a can of shaving cream exploding… no, no, from a sewer drain explosion.
Rumors is a play reliant on physical comedy and slapstick, and although all of the actors had great success with this, a few stood out as going above and beyond. Chris McNeice as Ken is dramatic and exaggerated, and he expresses his character physically in such a way that has the audience laughing constantly. Micheal Hart as Lenny is erratic, neurotic and jittery. He gets the biggest laughs when he spends multiple minutes desperately and dramatically attempting to get a bag of pretzels open.
Scene from Rumors. Photo provided.
Although the play is highly humorous and had the audience frequently laughing uproariously, a few moments don’t withstand the test of time. Namely, there is a moment when Cookie is watching Glenn and Cassie argue, and, with a giggle, she exclaims, “Whoops! Cassie hit Glenn!”. This moment was supposed to be played off as a joke, but it’s didn’t quite land.
From the perfectly blood-stained suit, to the beloved (but hideous) 60-year-old Russian scarf, to the oversized, campy button proclaiming “Glenn Cooper for state senator,” to the aprons proclaiming “Kiss me, I’m the deputy mayor of New York” “and I’m the wife!” the costumes stand out as one of the highlights of the play. Designed by Emma Sleigh and Penny Kyle, all of the costumes fit the characters and the occasion perfectly, and bring small facets of the character’s personalities’ to light.
Scene from Rumors. Photo provided.
Sock ‘n’ Buskin’s production of Rumors is a smash hit—the perfect show to bring some humour and levity to life during some of the coldest and darkest days of the year.
Rumors is playing at Carleton University’s Kailash Mital Theatre until Feb. 9. You can get your tickets from their online box office. For more information about the show, make sure to visit Sock ‘n’ Buskin’s website.
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