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Film Noix

nytheatre.com review by Jaime Robert Carrillo
August 15, 2005

Film Noix is the latest offering from local playwright Ed Malin, who lists among his credits comedies such as Girl = Mass x Anorexia and Judge, Yuri and Executioner. The program points out "noix" is French for nuts, preparing you for an oddball show. If you’re a true fan of puns and ironic jokes, then see this play.Film Noix is a comedic mystery regarding the Haley’s Comet International Center, two unsatisfied lovers, and alien life forms on Uranus. While at times difficult to follow, the play is replete with numerous comic effects, particularly those dealing with irony. Starting off as a “film noir play” of uncertain time period and setting, Film Noix delves into the lives of two female secret agents both in love with the wily El Conde Nasty. Each thinks she is his only love, because El Conde’s twin brother, the Nasty Prince, and his gangster colleague Madras Ofenian are obscuring the picture. It’s a successful spoof of the film noir style in terms of mood and tone.Malin’s strengths are utilizing puns and ironic jokes. They’re practically in every line and they are recognizable. Among his memorable jokes are the ones about the Spanish, and the "Are you Armenian or Irish?" question, to which the reply is "Both, that’s why I can drink a lot and I can dance."The double-edged sword is that this comedic rhythm risks monotony because every character is essentially following the same formula of pun and ironic joke. That’s in virtually every line of the play with no variation. I suspect it’s intentional on Malin’s part, because the dialogue seems aimed more at cracking up the audience than at creating characters who connect emotionally. The play drags a little in the first two scenes, but refreshes itself in the third scene with Nasty Prince (played by Jack McGowan) and Madras (played by Steve Deighan), a funnier part.The convincing costumes may be picked out directly from each actor’s wardrobe, yet they all look excellent, especially secret agent Tina’s (played by Elizabeth Shanks) sexy black dress. Each actor displays commitment, particularly Deighan.The fight choreography is choppy and sound cues for scene transitions pointless. Frequently, the lights are cut off too soon and the audience is left in awkward darkness.Nevertheless, Malin is to be commended for successfully completing the difficult task of writing a full play from what was originally a five-minute scene written in 48 hours.