On the surface, the story behind playwright Larry Gelbart’s (who is most well-known for creating the television series “M.A.S.H.) two act comedy “Better Late”, running now through November 30 at Empire Stage in Ft. Lauderdale, is about how husband Lee (played by actor Geoff Freitag) and wife Nora (Patti Gardner) have to cope with having a new resident in their home, Nora’s ex-husband Julian (Peter W. Galman) on a temporary basis.
However, the story has a stronger purpose than an exchange of jokes about how long Julian will reside with Lee and Nora, or how three people can cope with living with each other, as if the audience is watching a three character version of playwright Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple”.
Rather, the initial comic premise leads to an emotional, dramatic story about the joys of love and the pain of divorce among the three characters
Julian, who is older than Lee, came to live with Lee and Nora due to his financial hardship while recovering from a stroke. Julian asks Nora and Lee to live with them on a temporary basis until he could recover his finances. What makes the story intriguing is Nora having a long stable marriage with Julian for 25 years until she and Lee met and had a secret affair unknown to Julian until Nora made the decision to divorce Julian.
from left to right: Actors Patti Gardner (Nora) and Peter W. Galman Julian) in the two act play”Better Late”, running now through November 30 at Empire Stage in Ft. Lauderdale.
The secret affair of Nora with Lee created open wounds and angry sparks between Julian, Lee and Nora in their many two character scenes.
Some of the best scenes are both humorous but also dramatic. In one scene, Lee and Julian are together in a car driving to their residence, when Lee calls Nora on his cell phone and she asks “Is that you sweetheart? Both Lee and Julian answer “yes” to lots of laughter in the audience.
The tone of the play becomes more dramatic, especially in act two when the audience learns that Lee, Julian and Nora have now been living together for eight months. Lee is angry and confused on why Nora continues to allow Julian to reside with them.
The scene evolves into tension as Nora indicates her resentment of Lee for having an affair with a younger woman while they were married, just as Nora did when she met Lee.
Adding to the mix is Billy (actor Chad Raven), the now grown up son of Julian and Nora, who is undergoing a divorce of his own and seeks counseling and guidance from the three characters.
The best scenes in the play occurred between Julian and Nora when they discussed why she left Julian for Lee while Julian accused Lee of “stealing Nora from him”.
Julian and Nora discussed Julian’s bewilderment on why Nora left him for Lee. Nora’s explanation produced great tension between the characters, especially because Lee had an affair of his own while married to Nora.
For anyone who went through a divorce and experienced a change in family dynamics, the play is a realistic look at how divorce produces both love, anger and resentment to all parties involved in the breakup of a marriage..
Although all the actors shined in the Pigs Do Fly production of “Better Late”, the performance of Patti Gardner stood out. As Nora, Gardner releases many layers of emotions in her compassion for Julian and anger toward Lee..Nora is the one character that reveals all her feelings for both husbands as she attempts to resolve her feelings for both men,
Credit also goes to director Deborah Kondelik for her work not only in directing the play, but also providing the costumes and set design.
“Better Late” a two act comedy with dramatic overtones by playwright Larry Gelbart, is running now though November 30 at Empire Stage,,1140 N. Flagler Dr. in Ft. Lauderdale. Tickets are $45. For more information, go to pigsdoflyproductins.com or call 954-678-1496.
