A Review of More Fun Than Bowling

Dreamwell - Jake Tomilson (Matthew J. Brewbaker) is never falling in love again. At least that’s what he tells his daughter Molly; we in the audience know better. We know he’d be a fool to let the feeling go – a feeling he describes as the sense of walking over water (so you’d better not look down for fear of drowning). Of course it’s understandable that he’s disheartened. His first wife left him to raise his daughter alone, and his second wife and third wives were killed by the bowling alley he owns and operates. And his feelings of paranoia might not be altogether unjustified; after all, an “authentic gypsy woman” at a carnival foresaw another death, and the mysterious Mr. Dyson (Jeremy Ping) is stalking him – slowly, steadily, stealthily, like a black limousine.

With all this against him, one might wonder why it’s so much fun to watch a play about Jake Tomilson’s life. But More Fun Than Bowling more than lives up to its name. Jake, for all his flaws, is really a loveable character. First, Brewbaker understands him well and gives a charming performance. Second, you can’t help but root for him. Maybe he’ll never get out of Turtle Springs, but he’s determined to make the most of small-town life. He may not be able to express his emotions, or even control them sometimes, but it becomes clear he understands the whirlwind of love and death around him and expresses it in the only language he has: the language of bowling.

It is a testament to Steven Dietz’s wit and craft that he is able to write a believable, funny and meaningful play in this language. It is a testament to Rachael Lindhart’s direction and the cast’s performance that the audience buys it as well. Because death—plodding, heavy, inevitable—is a bit like a bowling ball, isn’t it? And so is love. “You just let go,” Jake tells his second wife Lois (Vicki Krajewski) “and wait for the moment of impact.” The premise is silly, but it doesn’t take away from the meaning of the play at all. And the actors—individually and as an ensemble—are completely committed to the work. They understand these characters, their hopes, their dreams, and their shortcomings large and small.

One performance in particular stood out. Elise Mozena plays Molly, Jake’s daughter, who is the glue that holds this little family together. She has no qualms about calling Lois, and later Loretta (played by Kris Denniger) “Mom,” and without her help running the bowling alley (where Lois and Loretta each chip in after they marry Jake) would be impossible. Moreover, she is funny and bright and creates a warm center for the play. Mozena understands her personality and throws all of her energy into it. From the moment of her first entrance until the lights fall at the end of the play, she is completely committed to her performance, unselfconsciously living each moment on stage. It’s rare to see such focus and professionalism in an actor so young, and it’s a joy to watch.

The design is simple, unassuming, and really serves the play. Each costume looks good and does its job—it tells you something about the character. The set is small and functional, and the lights do a great job of setting the play on a hot summer day in a small town – a very warm look that instantly tells the audience where they are. The one design moment that seemed artificial was when Molly sat down in a special light to read a letter from her mother. It broke with the naturalism that contains the play, and gave Mozena very little to do. This could be written in the script, in which case it’s not really a director choice – either way, it’s a forgivable shortcoming. All in all, the design and the acting both served the story really well. This is the kind of production that reminds me why I believe in regional theatre. These stories need to be told, and often they can be told best in a small, intimate setting with a committed cast.

So if you’re in for a few laughs, a good story and you’re not afraid of turquoise, you should treat yourself to a ticket to More Fun Than Bowling while it’s still running. Even if you have to cancel your bowling tournament.

--James Trainor

James recently graduated from Cornell College with a Bachelor of Special Studies in English and Theater. He has also acted and directed for Stage Left Theater in Cedar Rapids, and is currently preparing to direct Flu Season there in March.

Backstage with More Fun Than Bowling

Dreamwell - Here's a look backstage Dreamwell's show More Fun Than Bowling by Stephen Dietz. It opens tomorrow night at Arts a la Carte in Old Brick. It is directed by Rachael Lindhart and stars Matthew Brewbaker as Jake Tomlinson.

Thanks for talking with me, Matt and Rachael. To start off, please tell us what this show is about.

Rachael Lindhart: The show is, believe it or not, actually about love and death. And about the lessons we have to learn from loss. Jake Tomlinson, owner of a small-town bowling alley, can't really tell people that he loves them--although he does, just the same. We follow him through the loss of three wives (not necessarily in chronological order) and cheer when he learns from coping--assisted by his daughter, Molly. Not to mention by a mysterious man who has designs on his life.

Matthew Brewbaker: I agree. The show is really about love and death and a man who admires and fears both equally.

Rachael, you've directed many plays. What is different about this one?

Rachael: Probably the biggest thing that makes this play different is the way it uses comedy--both verbal and character--to make some serious points. It is also marvelous the way that the author plays with the time frames in the play and also the way that he elevates bowling terminology to a poetic level. This is the only play I know of that has a bowling lesson love scene.

I sure can't think of any! What do you think were some of the biggest challenge you've faced?

Rachael: One challenge has been the weather--we had to cancel a number of rehearsals! But we are overcoming that.

Matthew: This is a bad month to rehearse in.

Rachael: Another challenge has been to find a way to "convert" some realistic effects, like a freshly-dug grave, to a theatrical representation which will convey the same thing to the audience. I hope that the method I chose will be effective, but I'm not sure we can tell that until we have an audience.

Can you two tell me a little about the rehearsal process?

Rachael: The rehearsal process has been nothing unusual.

Matthew: We all had a very, "lets get this built together" attitude and were all conscious of the time constraints.

Rachael: One thing that we ran short of time and did not do was something that I really intended to do. The time in the play skips around and I wanted to run the scenes in the order in which they occurred, which is not the same order as we find in the play. However, we didn't get to do that and it might be just as well as it could have confused the actors!

Do you have a favorite moment in the show? If you can tell us without spoiling it, of course.

Rachael: I'm not sure that I can choose a "favorite moment" but at the end of the play there is a true surprise when we finally find out who Mr. Dyson is and why he is there. It is really quite unexpected and that turning point is certainly a favorite.

Matthew: My favorite moment is the Louis Twinkler story...you'll see what I mean.

Can't tell us more without ruining it, huh? Anything either of you'd like to add?

Rachael: The only thing I would like to add is that this is one of those plays which I keep liking more and more as I work on it... and that cannot be said of every play. I have learned a lot from directing it and that, it seems to me, is all that a director can hope for which choosing a play!

For more information about the show, go here.

More Fun than Bowling cast

Dreamwell - The cast for Dreamwell's next show has been announced. More Fun Than Bowling by Stephen Dietz opens February 29 and is directed by Rachael Lindhart. Dreamwell describes it as "a hilarious comedy that shows that life (and death) is a lot like bowling."

Cast:

Jake - Matthew J. Brewbaker
Dyson - Jeremy Ping
Lois - Vicki Krajewski
Loretta - Kris Denniger
Molly - Elise Mozena

Click here for more information. We'll try to get information on the casts of other upcoming shows soon.

More Fun Than Bowling Auditions

Dreamwell - Dreamwell announces auditions for its first show of the 2008 season, More Fun Than Bowling by Stephen Dietz. They will be held at the Iowa City Public Library (ICPL), Friday, January 18 at 7:00 pm and Saturday, January 19 at 2:00 pm. Scripts are on reserve at ICPL. Contact director Rachael Lindhart at 319-337-2206 with questions.

Available roles:
Jake Tomlinson, father and bowling alley owner, is about 40.

Molly Tomlinson, his daughter, age 16.

Lois, Jake's second wife, around 30.

Loretta, Jake's third wife, age 28.

Mr. Dyson, mysterious man dressed in black.

More Fun Than Bowling is the story of Jake Tomlinson and his search for happiness through bowling. For more information, go here.