A dark comedy by Garry Marshall and Lowell Ganz
Directed by Paullette MacDougal
"Wrong Turn at Lungfish" was an off-Broadway hit, nominated for the best play prize by both the Tony and Outer Critics Circle awards. This witty, adult and engrossing play delivers some meaningful messages in a very funny fashion.
"Lungfish" is a Pygmalian-like story set in a hospital room, in which the older, more educated character tries to teach the ignorant-yet-lovely younger character a thing or two about life. Perhaps even save her from herself. Of course he does; and as is the nature of this type of story, it is perhaps what he learns from her that is the greater lesson. Thrown in for good measure are philosophical discussions about the meaning of life, and the contemplation of it at the approaching time of death.
Peter Ravenswall is an almost blind terminal patient who is so grumpy he has his student nurse at her wit's end. He doesn't have a "real nurse" because none of them will put up with him. He allows no one to come to see him except Anita Merendino, a ditzy volunteer reader who refuses to go away, no matter how many verbal barbs he showers upon her. She is a young blue collar girl, both sexy and manipulative, with a jealous boyfriend.
In spite of himself, this curmudgeon fails to prevent the young woman from wiggling into his heart. The story is complicated when she asks for money to save Dominic de Caesar, her two bit punk boyfriend, who makes his living beating up people. Then blind Peter tries to take on the punk himself in an uproarious fight scene.. In this poignant comedy our intellectual odd couple finds that within each other lies the missing link in their own personal evolution.
"Humorous laughs, great fun." ABC-TV
"A compassionate, humorous comedy of character, with philosophical overtones and occasional excursions into profundity." Drama-Logue
"An imaginative potion of laughter, lament and transcendence, a strange but inspired mix." Hollywood Reporter
"Written with comic flair and intellectual probing, the play provides an enthralling evening of theater." Near North News, Ill.
Dates are November 11, 12, 18, 19 at 8:00 p.m. and November 13 and 20 at 3:00 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for the November 11 Opening and $10 for all other performances.
Ticket reservations and purchase can be made at www.paradoxplayers.org/tickets.php
by Garry Marshall and Lowell Ganz, November 2005