[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of Man of Honor, a romantic comedy play about love, friendship, and wedding destruction by Pearson Jenks.
By stepping back into the McFadden Place Theatre (I’ve been there before and seen a multitude of wonderful plays) I thought to myself, “Will this be an exercise of patience, or will I be entertained, be transported into an alternate reality where the playwright is the creator, be educated?” Thankfully, the latter was true for me and what an endearing and delightful Rom-Com.
The play was fast paced and throughly entertaining. Every character was written with the familiarity of someone I knew or knew of. The dialogue was crisp and witty. The set design was simple, but not cumbersome in anyway. It allowed the actors to make each location their own. I especially enjoyed the efficiency of the set changes between the scenes.
The plot of the story seemed familiar to me, but just when I thought I knew where the story was going, it took a turn I didn’t expect. This is also known as good writing. As far as the direction was concerned, Pearson Jenks, also the writer, kept the characters’ movements natural and not like we were watching a play. The gem of this play is the ensemble cast. The brother/sister team of Corey, played by Pearson Jenks, and Mags, a charming and hilarious talent, played by Katie Northrop Niday, were spot on with tender chemistry and wry exchanges.
I don’t want to give any of the story away, but let’s just say that the man that Corey thinks he is in love with, Ben, played by a convincing Nick DiCola, surprises Corey with his intended, Josh, played with a devilish flair by Rylie Decocq. Adding to the chaos is a scene stealer, Sam, played by a terrific Tanner Munson. Rounding out the cast was Tommy, played by the likeable and hilarious Jackson Gordon. There was a show-stopping moment when, “Gay Cupid,” popped out of nowhere, played by an outlandish, Michael Alexander.
This wonderful cast, along with deft writing, and likeable and relatable characters, made for a lovely theatre experience. I do have one complaint though. I just wanted to say that as an audience member, I wanted more. Perhaps the Man of Honor II or maybe, Gay Cupid Strikes Again?