LINKS
The Bells of West 87th
a comedy in two acts
In this "coming of middle age comedy," Upper West Side building manager Molly Fein is 39, single and suffocating. She yearns to be free of the
obligations of taking care of her parents -- eccentric mother Ida,
who's been temporarily living with Molly for four and a half
years, and hoarder father Eli, who tries to rekindle his youthful
dreams of being a professional illusionist. Going along with
her mother's bizarre request years early, Molly affixed bells
to each of the doors and windows in Eli's apartment, pitched
in a register that he is unable to hear, ensuring that her parents
never bump into one another in the hall. Molly is desperate to break
free from this chaos. At a Learning Annex poetry class she's been
sneaking out to take, she meets Chris, a man she hopes will whisk her away
to a sane world, but he wants to meet her family and she is sure that when
he does, he will run to the nearest subway. Over a meal, an old family secret is revealed, and Molly witnesses with growing horror that Chris fits a little too well into this web of “urban hillbillies.” She must be her own ticket out.
LINKS TO REVIEWS
“A magnificent cast in a hilarious new comedy… Hampton’s writing is fresh, smart, and … serves as a vessel for the powerhouse team of actors in this character-driven piece…. Angelenos will be kicking themselves if they miss this instant classic.” – Life In LA
http://lifeinla.com/8271/172/The+Bells+of+West+++th.html
“Quick, funny… Hampton's characters as played by a vibrant cast are far more eccentric than usual and grab us deliciously from the start.”
“Refreshing and entertaining… Do not miss this evening of great theatre!” – Fanboy Comics
http://fanboycomics.net/index.php/blogs/barbra-dillon/item/2779
“A minefield of hilarity!... that [playwright Elin Hampton] is a superb joke-smith is attested to by the crescendo of snickers, chuckles, guffaws and belly laughs she entices from her audience.” – Working Author
http://www.workingauthor.com/the-bells-of-west-87th-greenway-court-theatre
“Hilarity and heartbreak are on the menu… a fast paced play, zippily directed” – Actors Entertainment
“GO… cleverly written and acted expertly by a solid ensemble” – LA Weekly
http://blogsLAWEEKLY.com/bellsofwest87th
“PITCH-PERFECT… the jokes never stop coming… rings in with humor and heart” – Daily Trojan
http://dailytrojan.com/2013/09/09/bells-rings-in-with-humor-and-heart/
“A dysfunctional family that makes us LOL is to be treasured, and here it is… As to where those bells come in, you'll find out when you attend the show and you certainly should!” – WillCall.org
“The Bells of West 87th guarantees an evening of laughter.”
http://xlablog.blogspot.com/2013/09/lots-of-laughter-at-bells-of-west-87th.html
“A ringing good performance… On a scale of 1-10, I gave it a 10.” – LA Splash
http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.lasplash.com/publish/Los_Angeles_Entertainment_109/the-bells-of-west-87th-a-ringing-good-performance.php&ct=ga&cd=MTcxODMwMDcyNTQ4MDQxMDkzMDA&cad=CAEYAA&usg=AFQjCNHzwNjeBHVALa6B5_f8dKLxWbieqw
“The writing by Hampton is sharp and clever… A completely enjoyable evening with terrific performances and snappy direction by Richard Pierce.” –Frontiers
http://www.frontiersla.com/Entertainment/Theater-Reviews/Story.aspx?ID=2040889