Written by Jonathan Tolins, Buyer and Cellar is based on a very real but ludicrous idea. Barbara Streisand has set up a shopping mall in the basement of her luxurious farm house and she needs someone to watch over the merchandise. Actor Alex More, career hit a rod block when he cursed out a child harassing him in a Disney Land costume. He gets a break when told to go to a mysterious location. He is hired to man the private basement mall in Barbra Streisand’s house.
There was an annoying hum that I thought was an issue with the sound system, but turned out to be the sound of the yogurt machine in the basement. Louie Gravance plays the lead role as the actor turned dapper curator in Barbara’s basement. He plays all the rolls inn this one man show that is a tour de force of high energy acting. I have such a deep respect for any actor who can retain so much material and perform it with such abandon. The roll called for some very flamboyant diva worshiping. Though he sees Barbara as very controlling, he connects with her on a personal level as they play a game of buyer and seller.
Philip Nolan who directs the play is a familiar face from many of the funniest productions I have sketched over the years. He worshiped the projector which had been painted black with such theatrical reverence, that I laughed out loud before the run through. Set designer Cliff Price recreated the opulent basement set.
I am so used to seeing one man shows at Fringe, but those shows are only an hour long. Though I didn’t time the run through it was certainly much longer than an hour. For those who love Barbara or divas in general this will be a fun show. If you know little about Barbara, then at least listen to The Way We Were before you head to the theater. Now I wish I had painted a misty water color of the show, but a digital sketch made sense in the low light.
Buyer and Cellar has 16 shows running from August 10, 2018 to September 2, 2018 at Mad Cow Theater (54 W Church St, Orlando, Florida 32801). Tickets are $15 with a $2.50 fee.