Susan Granger’s review of “Skintight” (Roundabout’s Laura Pels Theatre – Off-Broadway)
Playwright Joshua Harmon’s new, darkly comedic drama explores sex, youth, beauty and family, as Tony Award-winning diva Idina Menzel tackles her first non-musical leading lady role.
Recently divorced, 40-something lawyer Jodi Isaac (Menzel), whose middle-aged husband left her for a 24 year-old woman, flies from Los Angeles with her 20 year-old gay son, Benjamin Cullen (Eli Gelb), to visit her wildly successful, wealthy, fashion-designer father, Elliot (Jack Wetherall), ostensibly to celebrate his 70th birthday.
When they arrive at his stylish-yet-sterile West Village townhouse, they discover that Elliot is romantically involved with muscular, 20 year-old Trey (Will Brittain), an adult film star whose wrist is adorned with a $450,000 watch, given to him by Elliot.
“Hot is everything,” vain, testosterone-propelled Elliot tells grouchy, derisive Jodi. “It’s everything!”
So it’s not surprising that cynical Benjamin, who has been studying “queer theory” in Budapest echoes, “I’m sorry, but no one cares about the person inside.”
In addition to the focal foursome, there’s Elliot’s former lover-turned-manservant, Jeff (Stephen Carrasco), and Hungarian housekeeper Orsolya (Cynthia Mace).
Best known for “Bad Jews,” “Significant Other” and “Admissions” Joshua Harmon never refers to fashion designer Calvin Klein by name but his premise bears more than a passing resemblance to tabloid gossip from eight years ago involving Klein’s relationship with 20 year-old male model Nick Gruber, particularly since Trey wears a bum-baring Calvin Klein jockstrap.
Although the provocatively privileged situation and its resulting banter is droll and superficial, director Daniel Aukin elicits excellent performances, especially from Idina Menzel, and keeps the pace as taut as Botox will allow, making the most of Lauren Helpern’s slate-gray, modern-minimalist living-room set, Jess Goldstein’s costumes and Pat Collins’ lighting.
The limited engagement of “Skintight” extends through Aug. 26 at the Roundabout’s Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre – 111 West 46th Street – www.roundabouttheatre.org.