Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Jesse Tyler Ferguson virtuosically takes on an army of characters in Becky Mode’s light-as-air FULLY COMMITTED

• By drediman
• May 9, 2016
• No Comments

This past weekend, I dropped by the Lyceum Theatre to catch Jesse Tyler Ferguson (of Modern Family fame) virtuosically take on more than 40 characters in Becky Mode’s genial if light-as-air solo show Fully Committed. The play was first performed in 1999 at Off-Broadway’s Vineyard Theatre before moving on to a successful commercial run at the Cherry Lane Theatre (where it ran for approximately 700 performances); this revival marks the play’s Broadway debut. In the play, Mr. Ferguson plays a stressed out telephone reservationist at a fancy New York restaurant – as well as the chef, the restaurant’s staff, family members, and an army of anxious prospective diners.

It’s doubtful that Ms. Mode’s very funny but slight 75-minute play, directed by Jason Moore with a sharp sense for comic timing and a big budget (the lavishly appointed set is by the busy Derek McLane), would have landed on Broadway without a star of Mr. Ferguson’s status attached to the project. Nevertheless, Mr. Ferguson gives a highly skilled, personable comedic performance (famously originated Off-Broadway by Mark Setlock) that’s impossible not to like. He uses every tool in the shed – voice inflections, accents, facial expressions, physical comedy, singing, and his own brand of manic charm – to conjure up a hectic workday in the life of the play’s nameless, albeit heroic, reservationist. If Mr. Ferguson doesn’t reach the giddy heights of some of the most memorable comedic performance I’ve seen (the absolutely inspired James Corden in Richard Bean’s One Man, Two Guvnors a few seasons back comes to mind), his is still a performance to savor like a tasty, overpriced sampler appetizer. Now only if we could be served the main course.

RECOMMENDED

FULLY COMMITTED
Broadway, Play
Lyceum Theatre
1 hour, 15 minutes (without an intermission)
Through July 24