Austin's Award-Winning Musical Comedy Parody Troupe

MR. 80%

by James Sherman

Reviewed by Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman

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Naughty Austin presents sitcom for the stage

American-Statesman Staff

Monday, November 19, 2001

James Sherman's "Mr. 80 Percent" may go down in stage history as the first comedy
during which an audience squealed with approval when a straight male protagonist,
who has hitherto professed to be gay, announces to his female roommate that he is
"bi," thereby opening their shared sexual floodgates. Clearly, something is up with
America's libido.

Confidently produced by Naughty Austin at Hyde Park Theatre, this is a situation comedy
that wants to be a romantic comedy and never quite settles on either format. Sam and
Jan are heterosexual members of a comedy act who pretend to be lovers in order to
secure a coveted apartment in New York City. ("Bosom Buddies" meets "Three's
Company," with a little "Will & Grace" thrown in for good measure.) Sensitive Sam
falls for one of his female roomies, the man-shy Sharon, and spends the rest of the play
painfully coming out as straight.

Kirk Addison and Blake Yelavich have constructed sturdy domestic settings that one
might choose as a permanent residence, and director Yelavich keeps the action brisk
and to the point. Jessica Barst delivers a terrifically unaffected performance as Sharon,
her every emotion borne with absolute honesty. Brionne Davis enacts all of Sam's
complicated reactions, but he telegraphs them from a mile away. Flaming up the stage,
Ben Grimes excels at the exaggerated physical humor, while Marisa Pisano and
Paul Parkinson hit their one-note characters right on key.

Although the spectator can find perfectly good situation comedies on television,
there's no reason to avoid them in the theater, if you're in the mood.

("Mr. 80 Percent" continues through Dec. 15 at Hyde Park Theatre, 511 W. 43rd St.,
407-8877.)

-- Michael Barnes
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