Thursday, January 26, 2017

Laughter on the 23rd Floor

Frank Ferrante
Laughter occurs not just on the 23rd floor but throughout the audience of Walnut Street Theatre’s mainstage as it presents Laughter on the 23rd Floor through March 5. An outstanding ensemble cast headed by Frank Ferrrante as Max Prince and Philadelphia favorites Anthony Lawton as Brian and Scott Greer as Ira, has everyone in stitches with Neil Simon’s comic one-line-ers, slapstick, and physical comedy. The cast does not rely on the written word alone to captivate. Much of the humor comes from exaggerated facial expressions and impeccable timing. Scott Greer’s sketch of the hypochondriacal Ira having a stroke which is resolved with gas has the audience nearly falling out of their seats. Dave Raphaely as Lucas does a very clever mirroring act with Ferrante’s Max Prince.  Lucas acts as the narrator of the piece, informing all what life is like on the 23rd floor, based on Neil Simon’s experiences when he was a writer for Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows. The show was a humorous variety show on TV in the fifties and this brief glimpse of Laughter on the 23rd Floor lets us know why the show was so entertaining. This isn’t just a witty production.  It’s an inside look at The Writer’s Room where all the writers are hilarious. Your sides might hurt from rib-tickling laughter, but you'll leave the theatre with a smile on your face. For tickets or more information, call 215-574-3550 or 800-982-2787.  Tickets are also available online 24/7 by visiting www.WalnutStreetTheatre.org  or Ticketmaster. 

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