Will they survive “The Marriage Zone”
Listen to this articleIt seems simple enough, a couple want to move up in life a little, get a new home in a better school district to help give the son a better education. And why not also amp up their own lifestyle a little bit? So Cal and Beth put their home up for sale. But as this tale begins the audience immediately sees that there is tension in the home.
Cal and Beth are more than just a little snappy with each other. Oh sure there is evidence of love but there is also evidence of potentially destructive behavior that could ultimately end their marriage. In essence this show begins at a critically pivotal time in the lives of Cal and Beth.
Then there is a knock on the door and there stand Mike and Liz, a young couple obviously passionately in love and recently engaged. They saw the “For Sale” sign and want to see the house so they are invited in. Soon the conversation reveals many similarities between the two couples. Even certain behaviors show commonality. Very interesting but it gets even better because a senior couple arrive next.
They also request entry to the home. Their interest is that many years ago they once lived in that home and they happened to be passing by and want to revisit their old home. They too are admitted and they too quickly begin to exhibit a certain eerie commonality of thought and behavior with Cal and Beth.
What happens next is an interchange of conduct and thought that transforms the experience into The Marriage Zone. The tale told has certain aspects similar to A Christmas Carol with the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future for as it turns out the young couple are a retelling of the relationship between Cal and Beth when they first got married and the elderly couple reveal a less than totally pleasant conclusion to their marriage.
The entire show is filled with abundant humor and remains very entertaining. But at the same time it is an excellent mirror reflecting upon elements that often create stress within relationships and which all too often can and do result in a painful termination of those relationships.
So what playwright and director Jeff Gould has done is to create and present a work of theatrical art that teaches some very important life lessons while at the same time keeping the audience laughing and therefore thoroughly enjoying the experience. I enthusiastically recommend that you take a trip into The Marriage Zone.
The show is at The Secret Rose Theatre, 11246 Magnolia Boulevard, North Hollywood, California 91601. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m.
Reservations may be made by calling 323-960-7784 and tickets may be purchased online.
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For different but equally as enjoyable art form visit here.
Photos by Ed Krieger
Top photo: Ann Leighton, Jeff Pride, Alex Hyde-White and Jaycee Jule
Ron Irwin was born in Chicago, Illinois a long time ago. He served in the Marine Corps in Vietnam, became a trial lawyer, TV and radio host, CEO of a public company and once held an Emmy. He never won an Emmy he just held one. Ron has written and published twelve books. His most important book to date is “Live, Die, Live Again” in which Ron tells of his early life and his unexpected and very temporary death in 2012. That experience dramatically refocused his life and within the pages of that book Ron reveals how he achieved a much healthier life, ridding himself of Diabetes, Cancer and Heart Failure. Now Ron enjoys writing about many things including health topics, travel [he has circled the globe several times], adventure, culinary experiences and the world of performing art. Ron’s motto is “Live better, live longer and live stronger because it feels great and annoys others.” Contact the author.
