Sylvia

9/10

The '90s are back and much funnier this time around. The Acrosstown Repertory Theatre's production of Sylvia centers around a married middle-aged man struggling to find realness and connection in New York City until one day the titular dog finds him in the park and the two become inseparable.

The show premiered in 1995 and the distinct feel of the mid to late 1990s runs through every minute of the two hour run time. The disconnect caused by the increasingly intangible nature of life in a digital world; the almost sitcom-esque dynamic between a wife and her comically unsupportive husband, as performed before a studio audience; and, of course, the costumes, complete with wide ties, pleated pants, and windbreaker jackets, all work together to set the stage for Sylvia and create a wonderful night of theater for the audience. Even the use of transition music between scenes works to capture the bygone feel of jazz playing in the background during a visit with friends.

The set is simple, yet effective. Unlike most productions at the ART, there is a stage that elevates the action and creates a boundary between the actors and the audience. The crisp silhouette of New York City in the background complements the minimalist apartment in which most of the action occurs and works just as well when the scenes shift to the outdoors.

As one might expect, Sylvia, brilliantly played by Emma Grimm, steals the show and captures the hearts of the audience as the lovable, foul-mouthed pooch. While the show is about much more than the dog, Ms. Grimm creates a character so full of energy and humor that it is hard to look away. Even in the background, Sylvia is constantly moving or scratching or sniffing in a way that routinely elicits laughs. Ms. Grimm's Sylvia is distinctly human, but also immediately recognizable to anyone who has ever had a dog in their lives. In addition, the physicality of Ms. Grimm's performance alone deserves recognition. Rarely are actors in a play asked to perform such a seemingly exhausting combination of running, jumping, dancing, crawling, and even singing for two hours straight, but Ms. Grimm performs with the endless energy and exuberance of a Labrador.

Sylvia gives the actors the difficult task of creating something akin to a love triangle between a husband, wife, and dog, while not being off-putting. The actors do an incredible job of capturing the absurdity of the situation without overselling what is happening on stage and Greg, played by Kevin Kaplan, exhibits fantastic chemistry with both his wife and his dog in a way that legitimizes the premise. Mr. Kaplan's Greg is likable, yet frustrating enough to justify the reactions of those around him, and relatable in a way that wins over the audience.

Sylvia is one of the funniest shows produced locally in recent memory, though a very different kind of humor than other wonderful comedies, such as The Play That Goes Wrong. It is playful, but heartfelt, making the audience care for all of the characters despite their faults. By the end, as the silliness gives way to the emotional climax of the story and the audience is treated to a picture of Sylvia, there is a lesson of sorts about connecting to something or someone real, but it is done with that same playfulness that leaves the audience smiling. Sylvia runs through April 26th and tickets can be purchased at acrosstown.org.