Disparate Lives That Intersect
‘When January Feels Like Summer,’ at Ensemble Studio Theater
Charles Isherwood
June 9, 2014: The emotional weather is as volatile as the changeable skies in When January Feels Like Summer, an engaging, buoyantly acted romantic comedy by Cori Thomas at Ensemble Studio Theater. In Ms. Thomas’s sweet-tempered play, the lives of a handful of problem-plagued New Yorkers intersect in surprising but satisfying ways, leading to unexpected alliances. Among the play’s charms is its diverse cast of characters, who are the kind of folks not seen much of on mainstream local stages, although they make up a large part of the urban population. Devaun (Maurice Williams) and Jeron (J. Mallory McCree) are young African-American men, nattily dressed in snazzy sneakers and bright shirts, first seen on the subway talking about ring tones and girls as they head to work at separate Burger Kings. (Sydney Maresco’s stylish costumes, and the funky, smartly designed set by Jason Simms, contribute to the play’s lively appeal.) Jeron’s the brainy one, continually exasperated at his friend’s loose grasp of language. Devaun, a distant relative of Mrs. Malaprop, confuses words like “serial” and “serious,” but he isn’t fazed by any inability to communicate. Cocky and outgoing, he has a string of girls on tap, although his lack of smartphone skills makes you wonder how he keeps in touch.
READ THE REVIEW