I recently went to see Side Effects, the last installation in Michael Weller’s Loving, Longing and Leaving trilogy of two-character plays.
After sitting down in the rear of The Lucille Lortel Theatre, two ladies next to me asked whether I had seen Fifty Words, the second installation of this trilogy which played to rave reviews back in 2008. I noted that I had not, but that was okay; I would not be at a lost, because I read on a blog earlier that day that it was not necessary to see Fifty Words in order to understand and appreciate Side Effects.
As a middle aged couple startled to see that they were not sitting right next to each other sat down in the two rows right in front of me, the ladies expressed excitement to see what happens after the famous phone call which ended Fifty Words.
The ensuing 100 minutes represented marital chaos played all right by Joely Richardson as the bipolar Lindy and Cotter Smith as the ex-banker turn political candidate Hugh. The call referenced by the two ladies was made desperately by Adam at the end of Fifty Words to Lindy in Side Effects. Several clandestine calls takes place between Adam and Lindy; however, I could not help but think how secret does Lindy believe the calls are since Hugh is right in the next room.
Throughout the performance, the gentleman in front of me repeatedly and annoyingly reached in front and kissed the woman he came with as if to reassure her that the events playing out on the stage would never happen to them.
At the end of the performance, the two ladies looked a bit shell shocked. One asked hesitantly if I like the play. I noted that the acting was okay; however, it is difficult to spend your Friday evening observing marital un-bliss, with no offering of tips or solutions.
Yes, they agreed, the topic was a difficult one.
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