Judith Ross' romantic comedy/social commentary rests its feet on that well-worn theatrical device known as the love triangle. The play begins with the defeat of Irene Porter (Kathrine Bates), a widowed mother and Democrat, in her campaign for a New York congressional seat against an aging male Republican rival. In the midst of her loss, Irene turns first to her campaign manager, Dan, and then to her campaign treasurer and best friend, Jerry, for a little physical and emotional comfort. When both men fall for Irene, she must contend with her own ideas of what a liberated woman should be.
Director Cliff Berens has a knack for broad strokes. The characters are recognizable and likeable enough, but they lack the depth and layers that might make them more interesting. Things are less discovered than re-enacted in this production, with obvious choices leading one down a pleasant but ultimately uneventful path. Bates' husky-voiced Irene is strong on the campaign trail and strong in her home; even her drunken hysteria seems controlled. But Bates has plenty of verve and an affable manner that make her a pleasure to watch. Robert MacKenzie is smooth and charming as Dan, and he and Bates share some sweet moments of physical chemistry. Jerry, played more as comic relief than real person by Daniel Leslie, fumbles through his chances at love, throwing around ideas that might have been precious. A sweet but somewhat clueless character to begin with, Jerry is turned into a sort of buffoon, making Irene's romantic choice at the end more than obvious. Most problematically, the three actors fall into the trap of reliving the play rather than discovering it for the first time.
Ross' play is set in 1977—a time when women and men were beginning the long process of making sense of the sexual revolution. The characters face some difficult questions, but here things are amicable and easy. Maybe it's just that we've come a long way, baby. Or maybe this light, pleasant production just didn't get into the meat of what we have yet to work out.
"An Almost Perfect Person," presented by and at Theatre 40, 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills. Mon.-Wed. 8 p.m. May 13-June 12. $12. (310) 364-0535.