Innovative Music and Lyrics Save Uninspired Rommilly:

In the tradition of Pirandello and the Coen brothers Brad Rouse has put the life of the author centerstage. Supposing Rommilly tells the story of Paul (Bred Rouse), a budding novelist with writer's block. He faces not only his own frustrations, but also the wrath of his characters, who demand a conclusion to the work-in-progress.

Unfortunately, the audience is left demanding a conclusion to Rouse's work-in-progress, too. Supposing Rommilly features innovative music and lyrics, but the play suffers from muddled direction and lacks full plot development.

The various images that the musical projects fail to achieve coherence in the course of two hours. For example, in one scene the characters of Paul's novel erupt into dance. While the dance is well choreographed, hilarious and undoubtedly the best scene in the show, it fails to make sense in the context of the play. Rouse seems to want to juxtapose mystery, tragedy and farce. But there is little to connect these elements, and the basic absence of a strong, coherent plot shows up increasingly as the play progresses.

The direction is inconsistent, too. Some scenes--such as when Paul's sister Elsie) Jennifer Giering) ignores Paul and searches for her favorite talk show-- display flawless, meticulous staging. Other scenes are just plain careless. In Act One, two movers (Steve Peterson and Jonathan Weinberg) effortlessly lift boxes, but Peterson complains that he is exhausted from lifting them.

More importantly, director Hans Canosa does nothing to resolve the confusing images of the play. In his over-enthusiasm to create unusual visual images, he complicates an already problematic script.

What saves Supporting Rommilly are the beautiful music composed by Jennifer Giering and the cast's superb performances. Giering's music is melodious and displays variety and maturity, although occasionally it does not match the tone of the play. Brad Rouse's lyrics are clever and sparkle with humor.

The acting is spontaneous and technically excellent. Brad Rouse and Jennifer Giering shine in their roles as Paul and Elsie. Their rich voices complement convincing character portrayals. George Torbay brings boyish enthusiasm and a distinctive British accent to his wonderful portrayal of Rommilly's father, James. And Nancy K. Anderson lends the character Sarah a haunting persona and a soaring voice. Katie Guillory, Michael Stone, Richard Similio and Steve Peterson are equally impressive with their strong stage presences.

Despite its unresolved plot and unflattering direction, Supposing Rommilly is worth seeming. The play resonates with selfconscious humor and raises interesting questions about where fiction ends and reality begins. And the wonderful music, lyrics and acting make for an extremely enjoyable evening.