‘Secrets of the Trade’ reveals too little

John Glover heads Primary Stages' disappointing season opener

BY MICHAEL SOMMERS

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

OFF BROADWAY REVIEW

Spinning out humorous dialogue with ease, Jonathan Tolins comes up with good story ideas for his plays — usually involving some sexual theme — but then rarely develops them effectively.

Tolins' one Broadway venture so far, "The Twilight of the Golds" in 1993, was a short-lived family drama about pre-natal gay DNA and an expectant Jewish couple contemplating an abortion over it.

Starring in "If Memory Serves" in 1999, Elizabeth Ashley was a TV icon mired in a scandal over juvenile sexual abuse. "Last Sunday in June" in 2003 regarded a Manhattan gay couple and their various chums coming to grips — or at least gripes — with middle aged realities.

Tolins' latest work, "Secrets of the Trade," bowed Tuesday at 59E59 Theatres as the season opener for Primary Stages. Like its predecessors, this new play about a stage-struck tyro and his mentor is often cleverly written and even thoughtful at points. But after an entertaining first act, the second part fizzles into so-whatness.

A smart Long Island teen, Andrew (Noah Robbins) pens a fan letter to celebrated producer-director Martin Kerner (John Glover), who invites the thrilled young fellow to a deliciously name-dropping lunch. Encouraging the promising kid ("Your life can be anything you want"), Martin keeps in distant touch by late night phone calls and the occasional office meeting as Andrew eventually goes on to university.

Andrew's architect dad (Mark Nelson) and artsy English teacher mom (Amy Aquino) are tickled by the great man's interest but begin to question his motives as they uneasily wonder about their son's sexual bent. The first act conclusion finds the anxious Harvard undergrad showing up in Martin's hotel room.

Unfortunately, the episodic play then loses its former cohesiveness and dramatic tension as disillusion, confrontations, rebellion and disappointments ensue. Tolins' likely study in the changing dynamics of mentorship - of both a showbiz and a gay nature -- becomes lost in numerous shrill exchanges.

Pity. Such evolving relationships can provide an intriguing subject, as witnessed by last season's Broadway revival of Donald Margulies' "Collected Stories" about a crusty author and her protégée. Contrary to its title, "Secrets of the Trade" offers too few insights into the subtleties of making theater, being gay and the conjunction of both worlds.

If his play disappoints, Tolins nonetheless offers much amusing talk and several nifty scenes, notably that first lunch and later a funny peek at "Mad As Hell," a bomb musical Martin makes from "Network."

Director Matt Shakman smoothly traffics the play's many changes in time and place on a bleak but efficient setting by Mark Worthington. A handsomely greying Glover is wearily urbane as the kindly, preoccupied Martin who enjoys being reflected in the bright face of a young man. Robbins (so good as Eugene in the recent "Brighton Beach Memoirs") grows up persuasively as Andrew goes from a nasally adolescent to a pushy post-graduate to a semi-successful adult. Neatly tossing off bit parts as needed, Butler and Aquino are well-grounded in their respective supporting characters as Andrew's bland dad and tart mom. Bill Brochtrup drolly underplays the role of Martin's imperturbable assistant.

"Secrets of the Trade" continues through Sept. 4 at 59E59 Theatres, 59 E. 59th St., New York. Call (212) 279-4200 or visit www.primarystages.org.