Playwright: Will Dunne . At: Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago. Phone: 312-633-0630; $25-$30. Runs through: Feb. 22
Remember those Disney cartoons starring Goofy from the 1940s and 1950s? You know, the ones where Goofy learned how to use exercise equipment ( Goofy Gymnastics ) or to navigate the finer points of driving etiquette ( Motor Mania ) ?
Keep cartoons like that in mind while watching the world premiere of Will Dunne's How I Became an Interesting Person at Chicago Dramatists. Dunne's comedy is essentially a cartoon for grown-ups that matches the silly tone ( and ultimately disposable divertissement nature ) of those animated shorts.
Dunne piles on the visual and verbal gags, while weird character traits and plot twists get thrown in like afterthoughts to allow for extra quirkiness. It's all quite laugh-inducing, but oddly doesn't add up to much by the end.
How I Became an Interesting Person zeros in on the boring personage of Wayne Drabowski, a Bay Area script editor for an ailing filmstrip company. Winningly portrayed by the tall and lanky Will Clinger, Drabowski is both the nebbish narrator and odd actor in his meandering quest to become more interesting.
It all starts when a matchbook advertising a self-help book called How to Become an Interesting Person is left on Drabowski's desk. When Drabowski's no-nonsense boss ( an amusingly Michelle Courvais ) confirms his fears that's he's a boring guy, he reluctantly starts following the book's pronouncements.
All sorts of weird characters appear and uncomfortable situations ensue.
First of all, Drabowski moves into a penthouse in the chic Russian Hill neighborhood, causing his mousy co-editor Louise Grotke ( a very capable Melissa Reeves ) to take an increased interest in him romantically.
Drabowski neglects to point out that it's actually a dumpy boarding house with oddball tenants, ranging from the gun-loving Paul Harry ( an appropriately surly Ron Quade ) to the air-headed male stripper Todd Starr ( Walter Thon, who appealingly fills out his G-string ) .
But most importantly, there's the initially cantankerous landlady Mrs. Walker ( a spitfire Roslyn Alexander ) , who turns into an unexpected love interest for Drabowski ( think Harold and Maude ) .
Director Russ Tutterow keeps things moving at a brisk pace, drawing the quirky humor from his skilled chameleonic cast. Keeping pace are the production's designers, from Scotty Iseri on sound to Jeff Pines on lights.
How I Became an Interesting Person is certainly funny, but it aimlessly wanders without a forceful through-line. And though the characters are snappy and fun, you don't necessarily care about them since there are few major stakes for them to face.
I guess you could extract a message from the play about taking chances and not worrying about how others might perceive you. But don't expect anything deeper than a diverting adult cartoon with zaniness to spare.