I Have a Brain Tumor, and So Can You!

From left to right, Kerry Birmingham as Brian, Bart Elgar as Kenny, Joe Ferrie as Max Prince (on floor), and Paul Weir as Val in Laughter on the 23rd Floor at the Waukesha Civic Theatre. Photo credit: Anne Kenny Creative

A review of Laughter on the 23rd Floor

by DevinReigh Endries, age 14

Laughter on the 23rd Floor is a comedy set in 1953 about writers for The Max Prince Show. The story follows Lucas (played by Zach Rolf), a young writer hired on a trial basis. The show follows a team of writers trying to keep The Max Prince Show on air, showing their struggles during budget cuts and different stages of the 1950s, ultimately revealing the comedic side of the characters during their challenges. 

The show itself was extremely funny with comedic elements from every perspective, from sounds (designed by Bre Brennan and David A. Robins) to set (designed by Evan Crain), bringing the show's comedic elements to life, literally.  Now, I’m not a huge play person myself, but this show was an exception; the unfiltered hilarity and joy coming from the actors while portraying these unhinged characters was prominent throughout the entire show. Even though the show’s run time of 2.5 hours seems intimidating, the actors pull through and make the show fly by. 

Some key things that really stood out to me in this show were how certain characters were portrayed through physicality. For example, Ira - from the moment his character dramatically entered, you knew every single time he was onstage you were going to laugh. From his absurd medical anomalies to his loud defiling of the office, the actor Stefan Kent really took this character and ran with it, and you can see how much that pays off in the show. Another character who stood out was the man himself, Max Prince, played by Joe Ferrie. His entire character was more emotionally protracted rather than physically, as with Ira. Max's character shows a great example of all the pressure being layered on someone who has such a big name in comedy, showing his unraveling throughout the years and his strong emotions about certain topics that make others wary.

All in all, this show is great for anyone who enjoys humor that is a bit older and more mature. Even with the more mature themes of the show, it truly is extremely funny. Even if you don't get most of the jokes, Ira will be sure to make you laugh at least once.

Catch more shows like this at the Waukesha Civic Theatre!