Roving Pittsburgher Report, If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It, Slapstick Rule Boeing Boeing

Roving Pittsburgher Report, If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It, Slapstick Rule Boeing Boeing

Most people don't realize when they attend Boeing Boeing at the Cabaret Theater presented by the CLO that there was a movie.

Boeing Boeing) is a 1965 American bedroom farce comedy film, based on the 1960 French play Boeing-Boeing, and starring Jerry Lewis and Tony Curtis. It was released on December 22, 1965, and was the last film Paramount Pictures made with Lewis, who had made films exclusively with the studio since My Friend Irma (1949).

You could see the comic antics of Jerry Lewis and the physical comedy and body language translate into the CLO presentation as Jerry Lewis and Tony Curtis roles are recreated by Connor McCanlus (Robert) and Tony Bingham (Bernard.)

Cast of Pittsburgh CLO's BOEING BOEING

Bernard Lawrence (Tony Bingham) is a philandering three timing American journalist stationed in Paris, France. A serious womanizer, he has invented a devious system for juggling three different girlfriends: by dating stewardesses who are assigned to international routes on non-intersecting flight schedules.  For some time only one woman has been in the country at any given time! Bernard's romanced are run by a timetable of their landings and departures.

Tony Bingham and Connor McCanlus in Pittsburgh CLO's BOEING BOEING

Much of the real comedy is developed by the machinations his long-suffering, straight laced housekeeper Bertha (Elizabeth Ruelas). She swaps the appropriate photos and food in and out of the apartment to match the incoming girlfriend—none of the ladies is aware of each other's presence in the apartment. They regard Lawrence's flat as their "home" during their Paris layovers.

Connor McCanlus in Pittsburgh CLO's BOEING BOEING

But for those like Bernard operating on the edge of morality, all good things must come to an end.  His foolproof agenda is interrupted when his girlfriends' airlines begin using the Boeing aircraft. These faster flights change all of the existing route schedules and allow the stewardesses to spend more time in Paris. Without warning his three girlfriends will now all be in Paris at the same time. Fair warning at that time and now that it's important to pay attention to the news.  Although with a profession and three fiancés the audience is left to wonder how he had much time for anything especially the news.

Robert Reed (Connor), a fellow journalist and an old acquaintance, arrives in town and is unable to find a hotel room. He insists on

Connor McCanlus and Amanda Pulcini in
Pittsburgh CLO's BOEING BOEING

staying in Bernard's apartment for a few days. When he sees Bernard's living situation, he clumsily begins to take over Bernard's apartment, causing even more chaos.

The comedy except for Berthe's adept one liners is slow until the arrival of Gretchen, the German stewardess played by Lisa Ann Goldsmith.  Her lusty, brash German antics seem to challenge all other players to come up to her level of both slapstick and verbal comedy.  But the broad antics that characterized 1950's comedy reins throughout Boeing, Boeing.

Director Van Kaplan managed to get perfect humorous timing, great body language, facial expression and sheer audience delight out of his actors.

The on stage comings and goings remind one of Feydaux's plays which ruled the Theater of the Absurd.

Boeing Boeing has an extended run at the Cabaret Theater through May 10, 2015.  The two gentlemen at my table, my companion and another's husband laughed so hard they had streaming tears.  The wife and I were given to unmitigated belly laughs.  So if mom loves to laugh this would be a great mother's day outing.  It might also be a cautionary tale to individuals who juggle women or men.

Lisa Ann Goldsmith, Tony Bingham and Kelly Trumbull in Pittsburgh CLO's BOEING BOEING

About the Show ONE MAN + THREE STEWARDESSES = NON-STOP COMEDY! This Tony Award®-winning swingin’ ‘60s farce features Bernard, a wannabe-Casanova, with Italian, German, and American fiancées, each a beautiful airline hostess with frequent “layovers.” He keeps “one up, one down and one pending” until unexpected schedule changes bring all three to Paris and Bernard’s apartment at the same time.

Performance Schedule

 Wednesdays 7:30pm Thursdays 1:00pm* & 7:30pm

Fridays 7:30pm Saturdays 2:00pm & 7:30pm Sundays 2:00pm

*With optional buffet at the CLO Cabaret on March 26 and April 23 Tickets Tickets start at $34.75 and are available online at CLOCabaret.com, by calling 412-456-6666 or at the Box Office at Theater Square.

purchase tickets here:

Joanne Quinn-Smith, Award winning internet radio broadcaster,

blogger, author and internet radio and TV network editor and publisher. Joanne is the owner and CEO, Creative Energy Officer, of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates, a successful Pittsburgh-based marketing company. She is a grandmother and great grandmother, an unlikely trendsetter for online journalism and broadcasting. Joanne is internationally known as the “Get Your Google On” Gal. But better known as Techno Granny™ to over one million accumulated online listeners worldwide. Joanne has created a revolutionary online NEW MEDIA platform in Internet broadcasting, blogging and other social media participation that represents the new second generation of World Wide Web interactions, known in technology circles as Web 2.0. JQS is the online publisher of PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com, an online community magazine to disseminate the Positive News for Positive Pittsburghers. PPL Mag is Pittsburgh’s First Internet radio and TV network with syndicated channels and online radio and TV capabilities.