by Christian Usera

“THIS IS A waltz!” exclaims an exuberant Matt Friedman (Robert Najarian) as water vapor drifts through the air and reflects the stage lights.  The theatrical “fourth wall” is shattered within the first three seconds of Lanford Wilson’s classic “Talley’s Folly” by Najarian’s funny and impassioned speech—spoken directly to the audience. (He even reiterates that the play will be 90 minutes exactly and there will be no intermission.)

It was a novel way to introduce the character of Matt Friedman and actor Robert Najarian did so in such an effortless manner with such humor that it eased the initial tension that typically exists at the beginning of a performance.

The entire introduction serves to inform the audience of Matt’s intention to win over his beloved Sally Talley played by Aphrodite Nikolovski. The backdrop was a phenomenal set filled with lacquered, painted water, a dock that was built by Talley’s uncle, and a large, glowing full moon.

At one point, Matt Friedman says that he will need everything on the set in order to make his courtship of Talley complete. It is a set that transports the audience directly to the small town of Lebannon, Missouri in the 1940s.

However, winning over Sally is not easy feat. Not only does Friedman have to contend with Sally’s reluctance to his romantic advances, but also the racism of her family members who are not too keen on her associating with a Jew.

Sally Tally sats that her father says it’s his job to protect her from, “Mosquitos, Communists and the infidels.” (She says this jokingly, but this statement adds to the danger Friedman risks and defines the devotion he has to his love.)

It is this devotion that led Friedman to drive from St. Louis to Lebanon, Missouri to see Sally, whom he has been writing to every day since the previous summer when they met. However, Sally receives him coolly, because not only was he not invited, but also it is revealed that she has been hurt by a prior love.

Talley becomes so fed up with Friedman at one point she snaps, “You sound like a human being, but you got a loose wire. You don’t have the perception that God gave lettuce!”

Nevertheless Najarian’s character tenaciously pursues his love and says that they are “so alike to be so different.”

Najarian has a solid sense of timing and does a fantastic job with the moments of physical comedy, which include falling, tripping and stomping. He adds moments of clever comedy that benefit from his perfect timing.

“Do you skate?” he asks.

“No,” Sally responds.

“Me too,” says Najarian without missing a beat.

Aphrodite Nikolovski plays the serious counterpart to Najarian’s fool and the pairing is flawless.

When it is revealed that Friedman’s family had gone through horrific persecution in Europe during the early 1900s, Nikolovski’s eyes well up with tears. What she was thinking about during that scene to produce genuine tears will remain a mystery. What’s not a mystery is that there is excellent chemistry between both actors, which is rare enough in regional theatre productions to be genuinely appreciated in this one.

Friedman laments that Sally lives in such a beautiful countryside and yet not one appreciates it, just as no one appreciates her beauty. When she reveals how her prior engagement to a man turned sour, it brings everything into sharper focus. Both characters’ tragedies mirror each other, and it gives the audience a balanced understanding of where the characters are coming from and why.

Sally has been hurt in love and was being manipulated by her family for economic gain, while Matt just wants to open up to the possibility of love, because he has seen the harsh reality of persecution and war.

Najarian says at the beginning of the production that the performance would be a “waltz” which has an alternative form called the “hesitation waltz.” In that form of the waltz, the dancer halts for a moment before dragging the back foot through the air. It’s a perfect analogy for this play, where Friedman has to win over the hesitant Talley.

However, I can say, with no uncertain hesitation, that this production was funny, charming and had just the right amount of drama. The only “Folly” about this performance would be missing it.

Purple Rose Theater

April 2nd- May 23rd

Ticket Prices Vary

Playwright: Lanford Wilson

Director: Angie Kane Ferrante

Actors: Robert Najarian,

Aphrodite Nikolovski