[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of SkyPilot Theatre’s world premiere of Love, Sex, and Misery, written by Jeff Gould and Jake Gould, directed by Jeff Gould, Morris Schorr, Anthony Backman, Anita Tellez-Mansy and Sean Dube, and produced by Shelby Janes heads to the Cole Theatre October 21- December 10.
SkyPilot Theatre’s Love, Sex, and Misery is a hilarious frolic through the comic minds of Jake and Jeff Gould. Father and son. Eight shorts, all beautifully balanced and subtly connected with genuinely original storylines and characters, performed by some deeply talented and insanely funny actors.
From martians with earthling bigotry to the original caveman concept of marriage, to obnoxious husbands who deserve to die to grown men lamenting the death of their friends by considering the lengths they might go to for B.J.s…the sketches are diverse, excellent short subjects. But it’s really not a loose collection of short plays…I’ve seen an awful lot of those, we all have. Love, Sex, and Misery is far more intentional than that.
The plays feed into each other, they support thematically but not in the obvious way. What could the connection be from a caveman to a group of friends mourning their loss? Well, as it turns out they fit together perfectly.
I also loved how the roles are dispersed between this very fine group of actors. One actor playing several roles that on the surface seem utterly disparate, and yet, there is a thread, and not just from the actor. It’s as if the same questions are being posed over and over in slightly different ways. What is love? Why sex and are we all just destined to be miserable and alone?
It’s a fascinating concept wrapped in really excellent observational comedy. We laugh as we nod knowingly. We are led through each journey in order to reach a point. A poignant point. Sometimes a brilliant one.
Funny things are true and really, really funny things are brutally honest. “Love Sex and Misery” is brutally honest and very very funny. I absolutely loved it. It plays at the fabulous 905 Cole Theatre until December 10, Saturdays and Sundays.
Ticket:
https: https://www.onstage411.com/newsite/show/play_info.asp?show_id=6394
When:
Through December 10
Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm
Where:
905 Cole Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90038
The Cast
The cast of Love, Sex, and Misery includes BriAna Wagner, Jason Pierce, Jean Fiumara, Ian Nemser, Anthony Backman, Jake Gould, Tim Trobec, Adam Fox, Tina Walsch, Piper Major, Kriss Dozal, Domenick DiDiana, Amye Partain, Olivia Spirz, Marco Parra, Auri Brown, Alexander Hall, Ashley Alva, Shelby Janes, Corbin Timbrook, Chuck Lacey, Ari LitmanWeinberg, and Karen Brundage.
The Team
Stage manager/Sound design: Stephen Juhl.
Lighting design: Selena Price.
Written by Jeff Gould and Jake Gould.
Directed by Jeff Gould, Morris Schorr, Anthony Backman, Anita Tellez-Mansy and Sean Dube.
Produced by Shelby Janes.