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Is this what Maplewood is really like? Certainly not all of the town’s nearly 23,870 residents could possible resemble the Maplewood family in Christopher Durang’s “Why Torture Is Wrong ... and the People Who Love Them.” Let’s hope not — for the characters range from eccentric to scary in expert director Mark Spina’s entertaining production at the Theater Project in Cranford. Luella is hopelessly scatterbrained and can only talk about plays and musicals — presumably to escape from her dull life. Luella’s husband Leonard has more on his mind — deranged though it may be. He’s genuinely dangerous in his quest to keep America free from terrorists. In the process, he’s becoming a terrorist himself, ready to fight fire with napalm. These two have a grown daughter, Felicity, who got married a few hours after meeting a man at Hooters. To be fair, Felicity was drugged and dragged to the altar. Zamir, who has a Middle Eastern accent but purports to be Irish, brought her to Reverend Mike — a minister who deals drugs and sells porn on the side. Luella spends a few minutes wondering if Shakespeare “really was Shakespeare” — but there can be no doubt that Christopher Durang is still Christopher Durang. Now a sexagenarian, the playwright continues to strangle sacred cows without hesitation. He can still offer plenty to offend theatergoers who, like Luella, seek elegant drawing room comedies and fluffy musicals. So when Leonard pulls a gun on Zamir, Luella says, “No more killing.” Harriett Trangucci, one of the state’s great comic actresses, gets a laugh by delivering it in the same voice she’d use for “No more cookies; you’ll spoil your appetite.” Two agents who may or may not be with the government are pictured as certifiably insane. Kevin Melendez is marvelous as one who insists on replicating the voice of cartoon characters. (Later Melendez gets to shows that he has a stunning singing voice, too, when he delivers a haunting “Dancing in the Dark.”) Noreen Farley plays the other agent, who lusts for Leonard; she’s so excited by him that she can’t keep all her clothes on. (Extra credit goes to Farley for performing the same week she had an accident that put her in a back brace, in a role that’s physically demanding to boot. But Farley’s show-must-go-on demeanor is in keeping with the intrepid and devoted actors who often perform at the Theater Project.) Gary Glor both amuses and terrifies as Leonard. He conveys the character’s passion and zeal to protect America so vividly that he makes us ask the question that Durang demands of us: When does reacting become overreacting? David C. Neal is shrewd enough to know that Reverend Mike will seem more outrageous by being matter of fact about his purveying pornography. (He reasons that God gets to watch everything, and considering that we’re made in his image, we should be allowed the same liberty.) Phil E. Eichinger has the hair-trigger temper that’s a must for Zamir. Finally, Meghan Murray conveys all of Felicity’s frustration at having two dolts as parents, and a marriage she may not be able to get out of without her future-ex-husband’s murdering her. Conservatives may suspect that Durang is such an opponent of the right, he probably even refuses to take right turns while driving. But for those who have a wild sense of humor, a drive to Cranford is recommended — even to those who live in Maplewood. Why Torture Is Wrong ... and the People
Who Love Them Where: The Theater Project, Union County
College, Springfield Avenue, Cranford When: Through Aug.
1. Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 3
p.m. How much: $18 Thursdays; $25 all other
performances. $10, students. Call
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Gary
Glor, left, Phil Eichinger and Noreen Farley in the Theater
Project's New Jersey premiere of Christopher Durang's comedy 'Why Torture is Wrong ... and the People Who Love Them'
