By: Karen Singerman

“A Perfectly Wonderful Evening: A Play of Possibility” has a lot going for it. Written by Christopher Karr and directed by Chris Wesselman cofounders of the Artemis Exchange, the show opened at the Media Bridges, located in Over the Rhine, on Wednesday, May 27 and will be playing through Saturday, June 6. The show, based loosely on actual events, is about a one time meeting of mutual admirers Groucho Marx and T.S. Eliot, as told by the imagination of noted intellect and professor at Yale, Harold Bloom. It is perfect for the Cincinnati Fringe Festival- witty, fun, and intellectually stimulating.

The stage is simple- two desks, two chairs, and a pile of books on each. A projector screen is used judiciously for comic effect. Despite the austerity of the stage, the script is rich. As a Jewish lover of Joyce, Shakespeare, Dante and blustery professors, I wanted desperately to love this show within the first five minutes. It’s something of an English major’s metaphorical wet dream.

The show works on a number of levels, referencing and paying homage to not only T. S. Eliot’s major influences, but also inviting viewers to judge the show with “New Criticism,” a style of literary criticism to which Eliot contributed much. We are invited to look for echoes of Joyce and Shakespeare, and the show is laden with small rewards for those who seek, even if certain biographical elements aren’t quite accurate.

I’m willing to bet that writer Christopher Karr is a fan of Tom Stoppard. Like Stoppard, Karr asks big questions and doesn’t shy away from intellectual material, but Stoppard is a master of the craft, and Karr isn’t quite there yet. The show is fundamentally about two brilliant men seeking and failing to find connection, and that sometimes gets lost in all the other baggage of intellectual posturing.

Some of that posturing is necessary, especially during the extended dream sequence where Marx and Eliot each establish their hopes and expectations for their eventual meeting, and of course, a blowhard professor must fit the role, but there are times Karr just over reaches himself. The dream sequence leaves audience members wondering where all this is going. The final dinner scene is poignantly awkward, and even a little heartbreaking, but there was too much extraneous stuff. Despite the wonderful acting of Emma Robertson as every female character in the play, I couldn’t help but wishing most of her roles had been cut.

All this being said, the show is definitely worth seeing. It’s a joy to watch, especially for anyone familiar with the Marx Brothers movies “A Night at the Opera” or “Duck Soup” or one who just enjoys a good pun. Jim Stump, Tom Manning, and Patrick Downey all give comic and moving performances. Emma Roberson brings grace to the boisterous production, though save for her costumes, there is little differentiation between the female characters.  Chris Wesselman gives a powerful directorial debut. 

Giving this show a letter grade or score would be buying too much into the survey course style opening of the show, so I’ll avoid the temptation. Instead, I’ll say that this is a great show, wonderfully acted and directed, and Christopher Karr is an author to keep an eye on.

For show times and more information, please visit www.cincyfringe.com.