January 27-February 2, 2005

artpicks

It's A Guy Thing

by Toby Zinman

theater

Philly's major winter crop seems to be new theater companies — they're turning up everywhere. One of the latest is The Pros from Dover, a bunch of guys who went to LaSalle University together back in the day and selected Hurlyburly for their inaugural production (there are still four nights left to catch it). This seems fitting since David Rabe's play is about a bunch of guys who have been friends since back in their day. As a matter of fact, Rabe's original title was "The Guy Play."

The three-hour, three-act drama is very violent, very funny and, finally, very sad. At the center of the group of friends — all Hollywood types, all desperate, all coked-up — is Eddie; his adoring acolyte is Phil, a tough guy, dangerous to women and to himself. Mickey and Artie complete the testosterone-driven group. The three women in the cast come and go, mostly go.

Also worth noting is that next week an all-star revival of Hurlyburly opens in New York, so something is going on to make it seem that the play's time has come around again. Since it was written in the 1980s, it will be interesting to see what the play sounds and feels like in this cultural climate when feminists are not so quick on the trigger (boy-oh-boy were they mad at this play then!) and America no longer has to look to Hollywood to see depravity. My guess is that Hurlyburly is likely to deliver its punch. After all, guys will be guys.

Hurlyburly, Thu., Jan. 27, Fri., Jan. 28 and Sat., Jan. 29, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., Jan. 30, 7 p.m.; The Pros from Dover at 2nd Stage, Adrienne Theatre, 2030 Sansom St., 215-563-4330.

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