Clark Gable Slept Here

 

By Diane Johnson

 

Funny, fast paced and full of surprises the hilarious production of Clark Gable Slept Here is now playing at the Red Barn Theatre in Key West.

 

Playwright Michael McKeever has written another award winning show, which so far has earned five Carbonell Award nominations, including best in the New Work category for his latest comedy. Joy Hawkins skillfully directs a talented cast teasing out the nuances of each actor’s character. The result is a satisfying combination of suspense, laughter and yes, nudity.

 

Tom Wahl is Hilly, the cynical Hollywood maker of stars, whose investment in actor Patrick Zane is poised to pay off the night of the Golden Globes. His disdain for reality is evident as he manages “the incident” at the famous Chateau Marmot Hotel in Hollywood, a glitzy hotel known for its discretion. Hilly’s sidekick Morgan, played by George diBraud is brilliant in her role as the “fixer”. Ever the pragmatist, her expertise is required to clean up the mess left at the hotel, so that no one will be the wiser. In other words, leave no trace. Dressed in an absolutely gorgeous red gown worthy of the Oscars, she takes over the stage and commandeers the solutions.

 

Mira Negron is delightful as Estrella, the Spanish hotel maid, whose energetic performance had the audience rolling on the floor ! Estrella’s command of both Spanish and English was a jolt to the audience and yet should not have come as a surprise as all the actors were playing roles except for the hotel manager. Mook J portrayed the character of Gabe Holland, the hard working Manager of the Hotel Chateau Marmot. A straight shooter who found himself in an absolutely crazy situation his hospitality training had never envisioned. Matt Hollis Hulsey shows off the breadth of his talent as an actor in the role as Travis. It is a challenge to exude energy from a naked comatose corpse but he manages to transform himself. This suspenseful 90-minute production is full of surprises, as the true nature of each of the actors is revealed.

 

Carmen Rodriguez does her usual phenomenal job on costume and props. RJ Conn creates a set worthy of a posh Hollywood hotel bedroom suite. Jaime Laba makes her debut as the new Stage Manager and the show goes off without a hitch.

 

The line “see you in church” is used in the show to epitomize the Hollywood mentality of pretending to be what you are not. Historically that approach has been accepted because Hollywood is the land of multiple realities where you can pick which one suits you. When it comes to the stars of stage and screen American audiences simply want to be entertained. Reality is for those tacky TV shows, not their beloved Hollywood actors.

 

Don’t miss this show as Hollywood comes alive in Key West at the latest Red Barn production of Clark Gable Slept Here, now playing through March 7th. For tickets, call 305-296-9911 or go on line at: www.redbarntheatre.com

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