Review: Neil Simon's 'Laughter on the 23rd Floor' Is Current as Well as Nostalgic

Neil Simon's hilarious comedy "Laughter on the 23rd Floor," now being presented at The Arctic Playhouse, contains one absolutely brilliant performance, as well as many good ones.

The setting is the writers' room for "The Max Prince Show," a television variety show in the 1950s. Richard Griffin portrays Max in a highly compelling characterization. He's a mass of paranoid unpredictability: He strips down to his boxer shorts in front of everyone, and punches holes in the wall. Now, that's a man you don't want to fool with.

Max is dismayed when the network (NBC) cuts his show back from 90 minutes to an hour. The executives' attempts to micromanage every detail of Max's show is a threat to his very existence. It's all he has to hold on to.

Griffin was featured as the lead in a stunning production of "The Normal Heart" a few years ago. The way Griffin carries himself as this highly insecure entertainer is just mesmerizing. It's a truly daring performance.

Lucas Brickman (an engaging Graysen Mortimer) is the rookie on the staff, which is filled with a mix of eclectic personalities. Milt Fields (Ed Carusi) is a seasoned veteran with an endless stream of wisecracks and a garish wardrobe. Lots of jokes are made at his expense when he wears an all-white ensemble to the office. Carusi ("Breaking Legs") has an exquisite delivery of Milt's puns, which drop with the precision of machine-gun fire.

Brian Doyle (Fred Dodge) is an aspiring screenwriter hoping to get out of New York and move to Hollywood. Val Slotsky (Paul Oliver, recently seen in "Picnic") is a sharp-tongued Russian immigrant who takes delight in using profanity.

Andrea Flax plays Carol, the lone woman writer in a field where men dominate. A terrific scene features Carol sharing her feelings about being a woman in an all-male work environment. It's a reminder of how much we have progressed as a society, and how much we haven't.

Ryan Vigneau ("Deadline") is Kenny Franks, perhaps the most levelheaded of the crew. Last but not least is the wildly neurotic Ira Stone (Jay Burns), a hypochondriac prone to showing up late for work due to his constant series of doctor appointments. Burns is another standout as the perpetually flustered Ira, a talented but temperamental man insanely protective of his work. Burns and Dodge are a lot of fun to watch as Ira and Brian lob insults based on each other's ethnicity (Brian is Irish, Ira is Jewish).

Ida Zecco's direction is confident, bringing out the zany personalities of the characters. The set design is also convincing.

Simon is famous for comedy classics such as "The Odd Couple" and "Lost in Yonkers." "Laughter on the 23rd Floor" is another sharply written script, featuring references to Senator Joseph McCarthy and his persecution of suspected communists that sent shock waves through the entertainment industry at the time.

"Laughter on the 23rd Floor" reveals the peculiarities of show business types and their mission to make us laugh, cry, and feel. It's an excellent closer to The Arctic Playhouse's season.

"Laughter on the 23rd Floor" runs through June 1 at The Arctic Playhouse, 1249 Main St., West Warwick, RI. Run time is two hours, 10 minutes with intermission. For tickets, call 401-573-3443 or visit thearcticplayhouse.com.