'Closer' probes the parameters of love

 By ARLINE GREER
 Sun theater critic 

 The course of true love never did run smooth," as Shakespeare made clear in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." In Patrick Marber's play "Closer," not only does love lack a smooth course, it's doubtful that it exists at all. 

 Marber, who is no latter-day Shakespeare despite having accumulated numerous awards for "Closer," has written a clever, hard-nosed account of contemporary relationships. His point of view, jaundiced, acerbic and bordering on the brutal, gives insight into the easy-come, easy-go manner in which couples meet, become entangled sexually, and move on to new relationships without making any meaningful connections with each other. 

 Although its content is depressing, "Closer" - the current Hippodrome State Theatre production - is written with wit and style that's alternately amusing and offensive. Marber's language is salty. He uses graphic talk to discuss sex; no expletives are deleted. At the same time, the dialogue has a caustic bite, almost disarming in its unexpected wit. 

 Four characters take turns playing musical beds in "Closer." Alice, a young stripper, meets Dan, a writer of obituaries. They become involved sexually. 

 When Dan subsequently writes a book, he is photographed by Anna, and falls for her. They form a liaison. Enter Larry, a dermatologist, who is involved with Anna. Larry gets the boot when Dan and Anna come together. 
 To whom does Larry turn for sexual gratification and revenge? Alice completes the round-robin cycle. Actually, no relationship is complete in "Closer," as each couple teases and challenges the other with acts of infidelity. The variations of coupling within this foursome make for inventive mathematical problem solving. 

 Lauren Caldwell, who directed this Hippodrome production like a well-oiled machine, has assembled an altogether brilliant cast to play at Marber's sexual games. Marguerite Stimpson as the waif-like Alice gives a striking performance, alternating toughness with fragility. She moves with the grace of a dancer. 

 Christopher Franciosa as Dan - ingratiating, naive, duplicitous, young - makes Dan all but irresistible. 

 As Anna, Sara Morsey gives another stellar performance. Of all the characters, Morsey's Anna has the most insight into what she is doing, whom she is hurting, what she wants at any given moment in contrast to what she wants at another moment. She is the most human (and humane) member of the group. 

 Dan Leonard gives a stiletto-sharp interpretation of Larry. It helps that Marber has given him the play's wittiest lines. Leonard delivers them with an audacious lack of self-consciousness. He seems entirely amused at his rueful attempts at bravado. 

 Each scene in "Closer" moves swiftly and neatly into the next as the play comes full circle and then dissolves. There's precious little love to be found in "Closer," but the sex? It's good. Offensive, perhaps, but good.

Gator Times January 17, 2002

 "Closer" makes an impact with its eroticism and stunning screenplay. 

By Catherine Smith 
Staff writer

While attending the Saturday matinee at the Hippodrome, my two best friends and I were pulled into , an on-stage adventure that was incredibly close to the reality known as "dating." 

The production, "Closer,” is a bam-in-your-face drama/comedy that allows the actors arid actresses to let loose and shed their inhibitions, which is exactly what should happen in real-life relationships. 

OK, I know the question you're all wondering right now, and the answer is no, there is no nudity. But despite this tragic lacking of flesh, "Closer" is no-holds-barred lurid; racy and undeniably explicit. Festive phrases, such as "cum-hungry bitch,” combine with crude discussions of various sexual positions, orgasms and multiple partners to create a highly erotic environment that extends off the stage, away from the characters and into the audience. 

My posse and I all agree that the scene depicting two men chatting online was the most entertaining and humorous part of the play. One of the men was pretending to be female while the other responded to "her" desires of wanting to perform a little oral action on, him by unzip ping his pants and, well, you can picture what he did to himself next. 

Take away all of the crassness, derogatory language and sexual innuendoes and you would still find an excellent play due to the wonderful underlying factors that are spread throughout.

This is what it breaks down to: it's the 1990s London, and four characters, Dan, Alice, Anna and Larry, are contemplating the biggest question of all, do they really love the people they are with? 

"Closer" covers a five-year period of the characters' lives. They do a little swapping of partners, explore their sexual desires, have some fights, fall in love, fall out of love and, in the end, realize what it's all about. 

The fact that the frailty of love was exposed and not exactly served on a silver plate didn't help one of my friends who was in the midst of some relationship turmoil herself (she could have done without the reality check). 

Even though the reality of "Closer" was rather harsh, it was still authentic. The play wasn't a fairy tale with a happily-ever-after ending, and it wasn't a love story that makes you feel good about yourself or your relationship either. "Closer" makes you think about people in your life in a different way, a way in which in you have probably never pondered. Just keep an open mind when walking into the theatre and remember that your soon to be newfound enlightenment isn't necessarily a bad thing 
"Closer" will be at Hippodrome State Theatre from now until Feb. 3. 

CATHERINE SMITH a-e@gatortimes.com