By Chuck Graham, TucsonStage.com
photo by Tim Fuller
Liz (Gail Rastorfer), Jo (Julia Brothers) and Mary (Aysan Celik) are true BFFers, until they suspect a mass murderer or at least a serial killer is in their midst.
These “Women in Jeopardy” live fanciful lives. Not to overgeneralize about three of the females in Arizona Theatre Company's newest comedy creation... but they are all divorced, now in their 40s and determined to keep looking for true love.
Wendy MacLeod is the playwright of this lively romp that always goes for the big guffaw rather than settle for a subtle smile. We are knee deep in hearty jokes from start to finish, so don't fight it. Loosen any tight clothing you may be wearing and laugh out loud like no one else is listening. Or watching you.
ATC's own Sean Daniels is the director. He knows this play's intricacies better than anyone, except maybe MacLeod herself. Daniels directed the world premiere in 2015, at the Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, N.Y.
While the play does have its pop culture points to make, Daniels keeps the pace so crisply animated the punch lines stack up like airplanes over LAX. Don't fight it. Give your mind the night off, dive in head first for a guaranteed evening of rambunctious entertainment given to pondering which is better not to ever meet up with – a serial killer or a mass murderer.
We begin “Women in Jeopardy” with the three deeply dedicated friends, Mary (Aysan Celik), Jo (Julia Brothers) and Liz (Gail Rastorfer), sworn BFFers for life.
Tall and dramatically glamorous Liz is ahead of the others in the love game. She has a special man friend who's a dentist (Liz says it's like dating a doctor, but with regular hours). Liz also has a 19-year-old daughter Amanda (Ashley Shamoon).
Looking far more businesslike is Jo, never getting involved but always ready with a word of caution.
Spinning in the middle wearing everyday clothes is Mary, forever eager to do the right thing, if she could only be sure what the right thing is. Maybe Mary doesn't have the “it factor” to attract much attention from the opposite sex, but she has spunk to burn.
Looking after the male side of this gender gap are young Trenner (Damian Garcia), who is Amanda's boyfriend, and Dr. Jackson (Joel Van Liew), the dentist in question.
In a clever bit of stage business, Van Liew also plays the police officer Sgt. Kirk Sponsuller. He's the one Mary talks to about the curious behavior of the dentist, who has so many equally curious tools at his disposal.
All these women share a fantasy about mysterious killers, each of them wondering if she will be the next victim. But wouldn't you know it, when Mary reports her concerns to the police sergeant, she discovers this sad-eyed officer is attracted to her.
Meanwhile, Liz seems completely satisfied with letting her own dentist friend take Amanda camping in the woods overnight as a stepfather-daughter sort of bonding experience. Mary and Jo suppress their own surprise and heart attack shocks over letting Amanda and Dr. Jackson the dentist share the same tent together.
Daniels the director gets this all worked out nimbly without a pause, scarcely giving time to let one wave of laughter end before launching the next joke.
Never mind the logic, welcome the wackiness. A massive scene change in the second act takes us deep into a forest of very tall trees, plus one lonely tent for two, but no Amanda in sight.
There's no dentist, either, for that matter. But a determined imagination can quickly create any kind of explanation.
“Women in Jeopardy” continues at various times Tuesdays through Sundays at the downtown Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave., with full COVID requirements in effect. Ticket prices are $40-$73. For details and reservations, arizonatheatre.org or 833-282-7328.
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