Review of FIRST NIGHT from “In The Spotlight,” Bravo Newspaper

First Night

Through January 23, 2005

The Theater Project at The Majestic Theater

131 Elm Street

West Springfield MA

413-747-7797

By Donna Bailey-Thompson

"First Night" beguiles.

Playwright Jack Neary borrows the formulaic boy meets girl, loses girl, finds girl and stands it on its spinning head much to the delight of an enthusiastic Friday night audience. We laughed -- a lot.

A bewitching aura embraces this romantic comedy. Twenty years after graduating high school, two classmates reunite when Meredith O'Connor (Stephanie Carlson) pops into Danny Fleming's (Steve Gagliastro) video store during the last hours of 1985. Following high school, she had hied herself off to a nunnery; now after many brief employments, he's clerking video rentals. The dialog is often rat-a-tat-tat. Whimsical Meredith bestirs the settled Danny who when resoundingly flummoxed directs asides to the audience, a device that draws the audience deeper into the pas de deux of these engaging characters. Actors Carlson and Gagliastro carry this two character, two act play with dead-on dexterity.

Greg Trochlil's set design and Bev Browne's set decoration capture the independent video stores that popped up like mushrooms 20 years ago. Elizabeth Smolin’s costuming reflects the actors’ personalities -- quirky yet organized Meredith, latent romantic yet methodical Danny.

Since 1985 when Neary wrote its first draft as a one-act play, "First Night" has gone through many metamorphoses, pleasing audiences and breaking box office records in New England. Although the off-Broadway production ran two months, a casting problem necessitated cutting the play from 90 to 62 minutes. As Neary notes, "And the Times was not kind to my abbreviated version.... [now] 'First Night' is back, with all the good stuff restored, and even some new good stuff added."

"First Night" is loaded with good stuff. Neary pokes good-natured fun at Catholic-induced guilts; there are giggles galore and a few choice rib-busting laughs. Carlson and Gagliastro embrace the personas of Meredith and Danny. Surely playwright and director Neary feels good about this production. Off-Broadway, eat your heart out.