Have you heard? The rumors are true — opening night of Theatre Memphis’ latest show went off without a hitch, though the same can’t be said for the characters. That’s right, folks, Fleetwood Mac has nothin’ on Neil Simon. (Okay, I promise I won’t do any more rumor puns.) Anyone who loves theater will have at least heard of Neil Simon, one of the most popular American playwrights of the 20th century, and anyone who loves Neil Simon will probably appreciate a good farce. Rumors, then, will not disappoint.
(Trigger warning: this play, and subsequently this review, mentions suicide.) Rumors opens on the evening of a fancy dinner party, although we learn in about the first five seconds that this particular soirée is not going to plan. It’s Myra and Charley Brock’s 10th wedding anniversary, and their friends are dressed to the nines and will be arriving soon to celebrate. The problem is Myra’s nowhere to be found and Charley, who happens to be the deputy mayor of New York, has blown off his own earlobe in what might have been a botched suicide attempt. No one really knows what the whole ear thing is about, but in order to avoid scandal, the Brocks’ friends decide that this (*gestures wildly*) fiasco cannot get out. Reputations are on the line, after all, including that of party guest Glenn Cooper, currently running for state senate. To 2025 audiences, it may seem almost quaint that such silly things could have the potential to jeopardize a campaign. After all, if 34 felony convictions don’t hurt your political career, what will? But those were the times.
Because this play was written in the late 1980s and premiered in 1988, its content might be somewhat shocking to the younger subset of modern viewers. To sum it up bluntly, there are aspects of this play that would not be considered politically correct today. To me though, Rumors stands the test of time in large part because it is so obviously criticizing the types of people portrayed onstage. It’s helpful to know that the playwright himself wrote the story to shed light, and not a very flattering one, on the fact that great liars are practically above reproach in our society. Charm and a good yarn can get you out of almost anything, especially if you’re rich. One of the main themes of this show is the disastrous effect of miscommunication, but instead of being preachy about it, Simon chose to serve up the lesson on a hot platter of comedy.
Let me put it this way, if you love Keeping Up with the Kardashians, this is the play for you. Watching out-of-touch rich people totally lose their shit while being as catty as possible is, after all, wildly entertaining. And the characters in Rumors are as loaded as they are toxic. There were some genius line-readings in this production, and trust me, the end of act two is 100 percent worth the wait. Gabriel Thomas Kestral as Lenny Ganz as Charley Brock (it makes sense when you’re watching the show) delivered a monologue for the ages. The cast had their timing down to perfection, which is essential in a fast-paced, zany show like this one. The payoff was an enthralled and delighted audience. It’s always great to see the wackiest physical comedy paired with witty dialogue, and while pulling off both at the same time is difficult, this cast nailed it.
Visually, Rumors is stunning, with the ’80s brought to life by the two-story set and flashy costumes. The costumes, in the wildly saturated finery of 1988, were enough to make me glad for the recent crunchy-lifestyle dismissal of polyester. Still, they were gorgeous to look at and lent the characters a glittering, color-coded mythical quality.
Rumors is everything a theater-goer could hope for in a farce. Don’t bring the kids to this one, as it definitely has some adult themes and colorful language. But do go and enjoy watching some oddball characters make bad choices. This is a situation so ludicrously removed from reality that it’s amusing instead of stressful, but don’t take my word for it.
Rumors runs at Theatre Memphis through May 11th.