Meta-Theatrical Kisses Abound in ‘Stage Kiss’

John Turner

Author and playwright Oscar Wilde once opined that “life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” And in “Stage Kiss,” the thoughtful and hilarious play that has performances at the Geffen Playhouse April 5-May 15, the lines between the ideals of “art” and “life” are comically and ingeniously blurred. The play, written by Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright Sarah Ruhl, stars stage and screen veterans Barry Del Sherman and Glenne Headly.

Ruhl, whose plays “In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play” (2009) and “The Clean House” (2004) were Pulitzer Prize finalists, writes in a purely “meta-theatrical” style in which theatre “becomes” reality or at least closely resembles it. And the story that unfolds in “Stage Kiss” is a perfect example. The plot centers on the generically-named He (Sherman) and She (Headly), two middle-aged actors who shared romance (the first for each) in their early 20s. The fireworks begin when He and She are cast opposite each other in an obscure melodrama from the 1930s about – you guessed it – the renewed relationship of two 40-somethings who were each other’s first loves. As the play’s title suggests, plenty of kissing ensues both onstage and off (which is actually still onstage, because…never mind). Along the way, audiences meet the thoroughly and hilariously un-talented Director (Tim Bagley), the gay understudy (Matthew Scott Montgomery), He’s sickly-sweet girlfriend (Melody Butiu) and She’s insightful husband (Stephen Caffrey). And as previously mentioned the play, which Ruhl suggests is for mature audiences, consists of nearly non-stop kissing. “When I kissed you just now, did it feel like an actor kissing an actor or a person kissing a person?” asks She at one point. “Because I’ve kissed you so many times over the last few weeks, I’m starting to not know the difference.”

When “Stage Kiss” opened on Broadway in February 2014, critics lauded the show for its lively blend of romantic comedy and backstage farce, and numerous reviewers named it as Ruhl’s most accessible play yet. And a quick piece of advice to anyone attending this insightful, whimsical show; think about bringing some lip gloss or chap-stick because after the play is over, you might need it.

“Stage Kiss” is at Geffen Playhouse April 5-May 15. For more information and tickets, see the Geffen’s event page.