By Andy Foltz
NKyTribune Reporter
“The Sunshine Boys,” put on by Commonwealth Theatre Company, enters the twilight of its run tonight at NKU’s Stauss Theatre.
A comedy centered on a rather forced reunion of an old vaudeville act written by Neil Simon, the play is a combination of humor and nostalgia.
Written in 1972, the play harkens back to an era that had fallen by the wayside even then. It is very banter-oriented, and gives stars Herb DuVal, who plays the cantankerous Willie Clark, and David Roth, who plays his estranged partner, the curmudgeonly Al Lewis, a chance to play off of one another, even in a scene they spend trying to avoid each other.
Together, Lewis and Clark were a big vaudeville act, often called The Sunshine Boys.
Joshua Steele plays with aplomb the part of Ben Silverman, Clark’s much harassed agent and nephew, toeing the line between simply being a straight man for Clark’s jokes and delivering some fine humorous lines of his own.
His look of exasperation when he is baited by Clark into forgetting his own children’s names was very relatable and comical. Silverman has arranged one last hurrah for the duo, landing them a spot on a CBS special, but then has to do the really hard work – getting Lewis and Clark on speaking terms after 11 years – or 12 if you count the year Clark spent avoiding Lewis backstage.
“The run has gone well, I think,” said Roth, who teaches drama at the School for Creative and Performing Arts. “We also did it last year at Covedale (Center for the Performing Arts).”
The stars are quick to pay tribute to both the era of theatre which faded as did the careers of Lewis and Clark.
“Vaudeville did make it to the TV era,” said DuVal, an actor, playwright, director and producer who has been doing theatre for 40 years. “It’s Yiddish humor. They made fun of themselves as a way to survive and to relate to the world.”
“Simon grew up Jewish in New York, and he was in tune with that humor,” said Roth. “It’s a play I like. I like that era. I’m an antiquarian, and (vaudeville) is an era of theatre I wish I had known.”
The actors take their comedy seriously, which is ironic considering one of the last lines Lewis tells Clark.
“You know what your trouble is, Willie? You always took the jokes too seriously. It was just jokes. We did comedy on the stage for 43 years. I don’t think you enjoyed it once,” Lewis said.
“If I wanted to enjoy it, I’d have bought a ticket,” Clark retorts.
There are three more chances for you to buy a ticket to the play, today through Sunday. “The Sunshine Boys” is directed by Greg Procaccino, is being performed at the Stauss Theatre in the Fine Arts Center at Northern Kentucky University. Friday and Saturday curtain is at 8 p.m., with a buffet dinner provided for guests starting at 6:30 p.m. On Sunday, dinner begins at 4:30 p.m. and the show begins at 6:30 p.m.
The next dinner theatre CTC will perform is “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” which will run from July 8-26 Tuesday through Sunday at Stauss Theatre.