REVIEW: Thanks to two hilarious performances, ‘Cellino v. Barnes’ passes the bar
Photo: Cellino v. Barnes stars, from left, Noah Weisberg and Eric William Morris. Photo courtesy of Marc J. Franklin / Provided by Print Shop PR with permission.
NEW YORK — The new play Cellino v. Barnes has been extended several times in New York City, and now its final performance has been announced: Jan. 26. That’s the last chance audience members will have to enjoy the rollicking good time at this pithy, punchy two-hander, starring two actors who bring the funny: Eric William Morris as Ross Cellino and Noah Weisberg as Steve Barnes.
If a theatergoer doesn’t know Cellino and Barnes by name, then there’s a good chance that theatergoer didn’t grow up in the tri-state area in the past couple of decades. Cellino and Barnes were personal injury attorneys whose claim to fame was one of the most infectious jingles to ever appear in a commercial. Childhood memories in New York and New Jersey are often interrupted by the rhythmic reciting of this law firm’s phone number, simply because the jingle worked so well on the ear drums.
It turns out the real story of Cellino & Barnes was even more fascinating than the catchy tune. According to the play, which was written by Mike B. Breen and David Rafailedes, the two lawyers came together like star-crossed attorneys and complemented each other on the business of getting the job done (and sealing the deal). Their professional relationship had ups and downs — the & becomes a v. — all of which make for humorous fodder in Cellino v. Barnes, which never takes itself too seriously or literally.
Morris and Weisberg are comedic actors of the highest order. They are able to sell each and every line with bravado and pitch-perfect deliveries, often hamming it up for the audience members during the 80-minute show at Asylum NYC.
Morris, known for Broadway’s King Kong, has a built-in confidence in how he renders the Cellino character; he exudes sternness and authority, even if his certainty outpaces his knowledge. Weisberg’s Barnes is more of a clinger-on, someone who has the obvious smarts and latches himself on to Cellino’s family name. The actor, known for Broadway’s South Pacific, has a posturing and physicality that make for a wholly original character; he showcases his obvious comedic talents, no doubt learned from his time at Second City and Upright Citizens Brigade.
Together, their antics are ridiculous, outlandish, even cartoonish, but they’re never spiteful or vengeful — well, not in a realistic sort of way. The actors play the characters with their tongues in their cheek and a real understanding of the world and time period when this law firm came of age.
Being that this is a show of duos — two stars, two playwrights — it’s only fitting that there are also two directors: Wesley Taylor and Alex Wyse, two skilled performers in their own right. They keep the action flying by, with barely a pause for the actors to catch their breath, which is exactly what the story calls for. This is meant to be a biographical, farcical roller-coaster that sees these young men become dominant attorneys in the personal injury legal space. If a joke doesn’t perfectly land, the actors, directors and writers move on to the next setup.
The set, designed by Riw Rakkulchon, is a dizzying array of file cabinets, with several of them serving as storage for the props. The actual stage area is small and lined by the chairs of the front row. This is intimate theater at its best, a New York story told in a New York off-Broadway venue with not much division between performer and theatergoer.
Cellino v. Barnes has been served its papers and only has a few more weeks on the theater scene in the Big Apple. For a fun night out, and a trip down memory lane, this one is a blast.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Cellino vs. Barnes, written b Mike B. Breen and David Rafailedes, stars Eric William Morris and Noah Weisberg. Directed by Wesley Taylor and Alex Wyse. Running time: 80 minutes with no intermission. Runs through Jan. 26 at Asylum NYC in Midtown Manhattan. Click here for more information and tickets.
