REVIEW: Steve Martin's "Meteor Shower" Lights the Stage

What could be a stronger, more lively pairing than Steve Martin and The Old Globe? Ever since 2014 when Martin premiered his musical Bright Star at The Old Globe (which then traversed to Broadway), San Diego has been patiently waiting for the creative genius to return––finally, he has. Martin's new production, a wry comedy entitled Meteor Shower, is currently running at The Old Globe––and to the surprise of no one, tickets are quickly selling out.

Filled with zingers, burns, and the occasional bang, Meteor Shower is a wild comedy from start to finish. With subtle jabs at conventional marriage––and the sporadic swing at a less conventional lifestyle––Martin's new production presents absurd situations through the eyes of a traditional couple. Set in 1993 in Ojai, California, Meteor Shower brings two couples together for an unlikely evening. Corky (Jenna Fischer) and Norm (Greg Germann) are the quintessential early '90s couple, complete with hand-holding therapy and an over-emphasis on feelings. Laura (Alexandra Henrikson) and Gerald (Josh Stamberg), on the other hand, are a depraved pair that takes pleasure out of watching romances burn out like the meteors shooting across the sky.

Relatable in an adorably dysfunctional way, Norm and Corky clearly work hard to infuse strength into their marriage––strength which Laura and Gerald hope to make crumble. Filled with quick-fire wit, Martin's Meteor Shower is a fantastic ride from start to finish.

This is almost a flawless production; what's missing from Meteor Shower's first run is a tighter throughline, something to better connect the first half (not act) of the production to the second. The jarring change, which comes midway through Act II (and is, naturally, riddled with too many spoilers for me to be anything other than vague), is a little too out of left field at first. It takes the audience perhaps a second too long to get used to the sudden switch; this could be easily remedied with an extra line or two of dialogue.

The production is directed by Gordon Edelstein, the current Artistic Director of New Haven's Long Wharf Theatre. Jenna Fischer of The Office fame stars as Corky alongside Greg Germann, best known for Ally McBeal, as Norm. Fischer's Corky is a neurotic and quirky housewife stubbornly clinging to the idea of a "good" marriage. Germann's Norm, on the other hand, is the strait-laced every man, the passive and people-pleasing husband just trying to get ahead in business.

Opposite them is a perverse couple hell-bent on causing chaos, with Alexandra Henrikson as Laura and Josh Stamberg as Gerald. With a body-hugging dress and an underhanded quip for every occasion, Henrikson's Laura is deliciously vicious. Stamberg's hyper-masculine Gerald, on the other hand, embraces the depravity that Norm shies away from––outspoken, braggadocious, and filled with vices (cocaine, anyone?); in a twisted way, Gerald and Laura are perfect for each other. Perhaps that's the most startling part about this look into modern marriage.

There's versatility and nuance found in Michael Yeargan's compact set, and Donald Holder's intricate lighting (as well as John Gromada's original music and sound design) plays with time and space. Jess Goldstein's costume design is, appropriately, straight out of '90s suburbia. The makeup effects, as designed by Scott Ramp, are great––a terrible descriptor, but anything else would be laden in spoilers; you'll just have to trust me on this one.

The run for Meteor Shower was extended twice before the play's opening night, tickets for this Steve Martin riot are in such high demand. Running through September 18th at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre at The Old Globe, reserve your tickets now before––in the blink of an eye––your chance to see Meteor Shower has shot on by.

For Related Articles Try:

Fine Love and Comedy at "Love's Labor's Lost

Dinner and a Show

The Old Globe's 2016–17 Season Revealed!