Fat Pig at the Aurora

I. Overheard in Row C, pre-show:

Two middle-aged women, discussing a son's short story-writing class (The son is in elementary school).

A: "He's not flourishing.  He's finding the form restricting."

B: "Maybe he just needs to find another... modality."

 

II. Review, in uber-brief:

Photo by David Allen

As Tom and Helen, Jud Williford and Liliane Klein charm us as they charm one another.  If this sounds a little too cute, it is:   Though Tom's alternate likability and despicability render him the archetypal modern protagonist, a huge weakness of the script is that Helen's only flaw is that... she's fat.  Also, even at 100 minutes, the show runs a tad long.  The last scene, at the beach, while introduced with stunning theatrical spectacle, unnecessarily draws out already excruciating displays of vulnerability.  Who didn't already know that we're not supposed to judge others by their appearances, but that it's really hard not to?   With Alexandra Creighton and Peter Ruocco as the malicious foils.  

 The show runs through December 13th at the Aurora Theatre, in Berkeley.