by Jose Ruiz

The Girlfriend Experience is an excellent mix of comic pathos with a touch of tragic-comic flavor.  While it stretches the reality factor in some places, there is always that little grounding that keeps you saying - "Yeah - I've heard about somebody like that!"

Dealing with the age old topic of boy loses girl, we drop in on Dave (Holt Boggs) and married buddy Ellis (Tony Cicchetti) discussing the recent departure of Dave's girlfriend Trista (Melissa Skirboll) who not only dropped him - she left town!  Dave has been depressed and dejected so he tries internet dating, but never gets to the point where he actually follows through to meet the person.  It's all been vicarious flirting with words, and Ellis convinces him that he should look into dating an escort from the internet sites.

The internet offers plenty of sexual offers ranging from the lurid to the raunchy, and when Dave finally gets enough nerve to make a call, he spirals into a series of unexpected events that make for an evening of laughs and absurdity.  The girl he finally calls is Chloe, a honey voiced, zaftig beauty who quickly comes over to his apartment and begins to get down to business (Heather McGonigal).  But as luck would have it, Dave (calling himself Ellis) is not able to rise up to the task and the best he can do is have a conversation with her where they both talk about their past. If any part of the play needs attention, it's the scenes where they have the "expository" conversation as they talk about their experiences.  Compared to the rest of the play, that section drags.  Some comic relief comes from an inflatable plastic couch, where Chole tries to recline in various seductive and sexy poses, managing only to slide off in unflattering and awkward falls every time the couch shifts with her weight.

Seeing that she'll get no action from Dave, Chloe takes a call from a client and invites him to come to Dave's for service, figuring that at least there's an empty bedroom available.  Simon shows up, (Joey Lotito) a burly pushy client who knows what he wants and wants it right now.  Their action is so loud it attracts nosey neighbor Mr. Conniff ((Max Dusig) who makes an unwanted appearance at Dave's apartment.  Then, Eddie, another client appears and pretty soon Dave is up to his alligators with the hooker using his bedroom, the clients thinking he's her pimp and an unexpected entrance from Trista, who has been feeling guilty about leaving him and would like to try to make it work again.

There is a surprising twist and when the dust settles Trista has left him (again) and Dave decides to give up the internet dating idea for good.  While visiting a local coffee shop, he accidentally bumps into a woman named Eden (Dylan Busse)  and they strike up a conversation - with the distinct implication that maybe there will be future conversations and a possible liaison for both.  Overall this is a fast moving comic farce that even when crossing the believability line pays off with plenty of laughs and good acting from the cast.

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What: The Girlfriend Experience - A new comedy by Paul Tarantino - Directed by Melissa Skirboll

Where: The Next Stage Theatre - 1523 North La Brea - Suite 208

When: November 9, 16 and 30, 2007
Reservations at: (323) 850-7827  -  Visit the website at http://www.berubians.com/

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