Some plays focus on the larger-than-life: think Shakespeare’s kings, witches and battles. Other plays are mundane and true-to-life: think conversations about farts, radio requests and getting to know your coworkers. “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune” is solidly in the second camp. Out of Pocket, Inc. lovingly stages this 1980s romantic comedy at the MuCCC through (appropriately) Feb. 14 under the direction of Trish Annese. Written by Terrence McNally, a prolific dramatist for both stage and screen whose works include the books to “Ragtime” and “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” the play was first staged Off-Broadway in 1987 and appeared on Broadway in 2002 and 2019. McNally also adapted the play for a 1991 film, “Frankie and Johnny,” starring Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer. The play jokingly references but is not based on the often-covered murder ballad “Frankie and Johnny,” which inspired a 1966 Elvis Presley film. Two things immediately strike the audience — the mess, and the moaning. The entire play is set in the apartment of Frankie, a former actress and current waitress. She begins in bed with Johnny, the grill chef at the diner where she works.  Later in the play, Johnny remarks that her apartment has everything he needs to stay longer. Indeed, the impressively detailed set, also designed by Annese, would welcome a robust game of “I Spy,” featuring all the accoutrements of daily living: laundry strewn about, paper towels lined atop the fridge, an overflowing basket of books including a paperback copy of “The Feminine Mystique,” a stove and kitchen table, plants, lamps covered with scarves, cleaning supplies, an empty parakeet cage. As per the community theater group’s mission, a portion of the show’s proceeds go to a local non-profit, in this case Greenovation, a secondhand store that likely provided some of the believably ‘80s furniture. From left, Stephanie Roosa and B. Anthony Gibson in “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune.” PHOTO BY Paul Invent Film LLC. The play is light on plot but heavy on emotion, unfolding in real time in the two hours after Frankie and Johnny hook up. Their chit chat soon exceeds the typical pillow talk, driven by Johnny’s eagerness to connect and share. “So I love the sound of my own voice,” he admits. There is danger outside: Frankie’s west 50s walk up NYC apartment is close enough to other buildings to witness domestic abuse through the window. Her apartment is safe, as long as she’s alone, but, well, Johnny’s making no sign of leaving. It’s clear the play was both written and set in the ‘80s. The only distractions are TV and radio. When the characters can’t remember something, they don’t pause to look it up — they barrel through with the conversation. Less charmingly, some of the couple’s behavior bumps against modern-day sensibilities of what a healthy romance looks like. A TikTok-er could unleash a whole dictionary of terms picking apart how the couple treats one other (love bombing! Boundary crossing! Romanticizing abuse!). The could-have-aged-better moments become palatable when placed in the capable hands of this two-person cast: B. Anthony Gibson brings a comedic physicality and earnest goofiness that makes Johnny’s persistence — which, in the wrong hands, could come across as creepy (the guy literally refuses to leave Frankie’s apartment) — charismatic and likable. Stephanie Roosa as Frankie is also easy to root for, as her down-to-earth frankness offers a grounded foil to Johnny’s flights of idealism.  Like a piece of classical music (Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” and Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” are both referenced), the piece introduces motifs — lines of dialogue, gestures — and then repeats them in new ways. While this could run the risk of feeling repetitive, the actors keep their energy up, delivering lines with enough nuance to make the motifs feel musical rather than tedious.               The play includes much frank sexual content, from moaning to explicit language, but the physical intimacy feels natural and tasteful, deftly coordinated by intimacy director Jill Rittinger. The chemistry between the actors is strongest in the simple ways they look at each other: Johnny with unabashed admiration, and Frankie with a hint of acceptance beneath the guard she keeps up. Although the play features a heterosexual couple and doesn’t mention disease, there’s an underlying urgency that may be expected from a play written by a gay playwright during the AIDS crisis. Johnny has found something beautiful and wants to hold onto it: “We might not make it to tomorrow.” On opening night, after curtain call, Roosa announced it was Gibson’s birthday and asked the audience to sing to him. As the heart of the play is about how small rituals and acts of affection help people survive, a round of “Happy Birthday” was perfectly in tune with the Clair de Lune. “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune” plays through Saturday, Feb. 14 at MuCCC. More info and tickets here. Katherine Varga is a Rochester-based writer and arts educator. On an ideal day, you’ll find her biking to a library or theater. The post REVIEW | ‘Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune’ appeared first on CITY Magazine. Arts. Music. Culture.. ...read more read less