The year is 1958; the young couple are in a lovely room in a posh hotel. She’s a gorgeous redhead, still in her lacey, poufy wedding gown, and he’s eager — very eager — to begin their wedding night. Everything is perfect. The only problem is, the bride has just told the groom that she doesn’t love him. In fact, Irene (Holley Fain) has lied to Martin (Michael Crane) about quite a few things. Martin has assumed that she’s just nervous about sex, and assures her he “knows what to do.” But Irene isn’t the virgin she claimed to be; she was dating several other men at the same time she was dating Martin. Irene’s madly, irrationally in love with a gas station worker named Emil (Joe Tippett). Irene is Jewish, even though she looks like the quintessential shikseh goddess. Martin and all Irene’s other boyfriends have been Jewish, too. Emil…not so much. Of course, Irene’s parents hate the idea of her marrying out of the faith, and to a penniless blue-collar guy who is going nowhere fast. Part of the reason Irene has married Martin is because mom and dad are thrilled she’s decided to become Mrs. Resnick. And the money doesn’t hurt, either. She dazzled by the wonderful suburban house they’ll be living in, which she finds far more appealing than Martin. Okay, Martin reasons, they can get past this obstacle, as long as Irene promises to have no more contact with Emile. Oops, she’s already called him to come over. Martin forbids Emil coming into the room, but to no avail. Emil is much too big, but Martin vows to fight him. Emil and Irene bicker and fight, and call that Love. The two men leave the hotel, presumably to battle it out. Irene is visited by a mother/son couple, Donald (Andrew Burnap), the bellhop, and Melka (June Gable), the chambermaid. They are up to no good; Donald steals a pair of cufflinks, and Melka eats the room service food. But when Melka finds out that Irene is moving to a big house in the suburbs, she puts herself forward as the perfect maid, throws Donald under the bus, and tells Irene her story of woe about her life in Krakow. Martin returns, having gone for drinks with Emil, who turns out to be a pretty nice guy. Of course, this night has consequences down through the years. When next we see Irene, five decades later and now played by June Gable, she is in a sorry state, trying to make sense of her life as her memory fades. Gable proves here why she’s a well-respected theater veteran. The four other players in double roles also acquit themselves well. Joe Tippett is quickly becoming the go-to guy for less-than-brilliant but well-meaning hunks. Holley Fain is a delight; she brings to mind both Emma Stone and Alicia Witt, but with a charm all her own. It can be argued that this is not the finest work by playwright Nicky Silver, who has been associated with the Vineyard Theater since Pterodactyls in 1993. But director Mark Brokaw skillfully keeps things moving along, and a fine cast adds significantly to an enjoyable theater experience.
