Lips Together, Teeth Apart

I guess you could call it eavesdropping. Well, it was hard not to hear the Trumans, Sam and Sally, talking with their beach-house guests. They were Sam's sister, Chloe, and her husband, John Haddock. Sally's brother, David, recently died of AIDS, and the Truman's are taking care of the estate. I mean the houses are shoulder-to-shoulder on the beach on Fire Island. And you know absolutely everybody is out for the fourth of July.

Terrence McNally's Lips Together, Teeth Apart thrusts two homophobic couples onto Fire Island, New York. Fire Island is the summer retreat for many in the New York gay community. However, we soon learn that homophobia is very minor compared to their complex of problems. There is a little problem of infidelity, sibling rivalry, and males trying to prove they are the "masters of the universe."

Director Robert Dahey has a dream cast. Real-life husband and wife Danny and Sandy Campbell are Sam and Sally Truman, while Lee Lampard and Jeff Miller are Chloe and John Haddock. Sandy's Sally is withdrawn, an introspective artist. She has secrets and fears that boil over throughout the play. Her controlled performance, even when expressing her most inner thoughts, is modulated while being powerfully delivered.

Contrasting her is Lampard's Chloe. Chloe appears to have taken way too much speed -- or is it just the joy of a weekend away from the kids? It is her defense mechanism for facing unpleasant realities. Chloe gets on everybody's nerves in a matter of seconds. Lampard, fortunately for the audience, has an opportunity to sing a few bars of some favorite show tunes.

Danny's Sam superficially is a stereotypical (if there is such) hard-working contractor. Lacking a college education, he feels inferior to his sister's educated husband (New York Times crossword puzzle in ink). His values and fears are middle class; his lifestyle is middle class. He is a nice guy in a strange environment. Alas, his insecurities sadly and violently surface. Miller's John Haddock is an antisocial, arrogant snob. You can learn to dislike him in less than a minute because Miller is that good in his role, hiding vulnerabilities and fears with arrogance. Haddock's secrets, though, are traumatic and tragic. These four performers are so convincing, you feel that you've invaded their private lives.

This is not a short play, yet you leave the theater concerned about the characters' futures. Director Dahey motivates and moves his talent with economy. Nary a move, a look, a reaction is wasted. The set is by Danny Campbell and Robert Dahey: a patio area overlooking the ocean, included a small working swimming pool, several levels for lounges, patio dining, art work and cooking. The back wall to the house is painted in muted tones, serving as a natural, normal environment to contrast with the drama unfolding. Danny Howell's lighting is adequate. The design was a bit limiting, although the execution by Heatherlynn Lane went well, and called for a few more instruments and a bit more color on the set.

Sound and original music by Jeff Jones immediately signify that the score will be a perfect fit to the play. At one point, a Bug Zapper is heard in the background while music plays. Don't miss this Fourth of July on Fire Island.