New York play offers a twist on brotherly love

NEW YORK — A different twist on the eternal search for emotional fulfillment is provided by Jay Bernzweig in his new off-Broadway comedy, "Made in Heaven."

Brothers Max (Kevin Thomas Collins) and Benjie (Alex Anfanger) are conjoined adult Siamese twins, who share all major organs from the waist down.

On the eve of "their" engagement to their girlfriend Jessica, a cheerfully delusional, insecure woman (played with polished humor by Maia Madison,) Benjie confesses to Max that he's actually gay.

Sweetly naive Benjie has also selected his first gay date, from a catalog of male escorts, and the already-farcical humor increases with the arrival of Matthew Bondy as the handsome stud-for-hire, Gilbert.

Anfanger's wide-eyed, boyish face is perfect for his innocent character, while Collins has a more cynical appearance, displaying a wonderful range of expressions to suit every fresh revelation as the unusual love quadrangle progresses.

Bondy's part requires him to frequently stand around onstage wearing only briefs. While Gilbert is crass and opportunistic, downright lewd at times, Bondy's gym-toned attributes don't detract from his comedic timing or his ability to convey an occasional, if fleeting, thoughtful side to Gilbert.

Bernzweig has laced the script with humorous one-liners. When Max tries to tell Ben that Gilbert is nothing but "a bisexual Ken doll," the smitten Ben retorts, "Beauty has its own brains." There's also a lot of explicit sexual talk and cursing, although the actual sex, while frankly discussed, takes place offstage or underneath a blanket.

Director/producer Andrew Shaifer keeps the action moving pretty quickly, as the four characters experience overlapping sexual pairings during a monthlong trial of their relationships.

The affairs suffer from all the expected complications, particularly around the physical and emotional issues that the brothers must deal with. There are several sight gags, some of them almost tasteful. The three-legged twins do some hilarious comedic maneuvering, especially when one unconscious, flopping brother must be hauled around by the other.

Both Gilbert and Jessica become inconsistent in their commitment, while Max, who loathes Gilbert, tries to persuade both Ben and Jessica to operate with more self-respect. The power of brotherly love is definitely tested, but with a huge supply of laughs along the way.

"Made in Heaven" is in a limited run at the Soho Playhouse through Sunday, Jan. 3.

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On the Net:

http://www.MadeInHeavenTheComedy.com

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Nov 03, 2009 - 11:48 a.m. EDT

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