Rudy Galvan, Bree Beelow. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

There’s almost a place on the northern tip of the East Coast where a quasi-town of people, some married, some not, talk at the same almost-pub and enjoy the same rustic winter exercises of skating and snowmobiling.

It’s an imaginary rural land that seems to suit the set designer Lisa Schlenkerthe tree cutouts, its benches, accessories and canvas rocks, helped by Greg HofmannAmbient lighting and customer assisted by projectors Amy HorstLayers of colorful winter clothing (there’s even clothing-induced laughter), all to enhance nine comic vignettes about the eruption and embarrassment of love.

Your experience during this play may not elicit the waves of laughter that mine did. You may not always have as friendly a fan base as Almost, Maine had opening night at Theater of the next act. But you will find good laughs, effective moments of interaction and recognizable romantic incidents of life. The production will also spark interesting debates about which actors best embody sly, no-nonsense humor. There are four performers in total, each playing multiple parts, with only a few vignettes directly relating to each other.

Playwright John Carianihimself an actor, somehow did road tests Almost, Maine over 20 years old. It became one of the most frequent regional theater performances (it also had performances in New York). This fact perhaps says more about today’s American audiences than it does about the art of theater – although staying current over two decades is a sign of knowing what audiences like.

Cariani has fun chatting, giving a surreal touch to each duo of actors. He mainly uses the process of transforming familiar metaphors about love into real events. His heart is broken. He took bags of love and gave nothing back. They didn’t want to fall in love, but they do. The shoe will fall on the couple’s wrath after years of neglect. Think about all these clichés that literally happen and you’ll get an idea of ​​how the play makes us look.

Director Karen Estrada sought to put its cast on the same stylistic page. In a way it’s like the best Mike Nichols And Elaine May old-fashioned improvisational theater, with ridiculous but realistic conversations, the humor emerging from how the situation is handled. The best of the group in several roles – by turns goofy and lovestruck, with a wry wink encouraged by the dialogue – is Rachel Zientek, who has found comic book gold with each release.

Bree Beelow has some courageous, high-volume character studies where she captures the same sense of determination and comic desperation. Jake Horstmeierdisplaying a stupid, unhappy face and some snappy line readings, has several good moments while Rudy Galvan is caught in too many roles too close together, but shows timing when given the opportunity.

Technically, it’s a well-executed production, easy to follow since we all recognize the romantic situations and the comedic twist given to them. It also wouldn’t be fair to give too many turns. Setting everything in rural America reinforces the humanity and spares us the complications of big city pretensions to sophistication. This is a pleasant rather than dramatic light output.

Almost, Maine runs through Dec. 15 at Next Act Theater, 255 S. Water St. Buy tickets here.

Almost, Maine Gallery

Dominique Paul Noth served for decades as a film and theater critic and then features editor of the Milwaukee Journal. You will find his blog here And here.