‘Jack & Jill’: Much Talk, Little Romance

Jane Martin’s comedy “Jack & Jill, a Romance” is basically boy-meets-girl, gets-girl, loses-girl and meets-girl-again in a slightly neurotic collection of overly articulate musings.

So much talk squelches most of the romantic impulses. In this International City Theatre production, staged by Hope Alexander-Willis, the leads are convincing alone but lack chemistry as a couple.

Jack (Lego Louis) is a big puppy of a man, ready to love and be vulnerable when he introduces himself to Jill (Bonita Friedericy). “I, Jack, would like to meet you, female person, for some nonthreatening relating.” Jill is at first stand-offish. Yet she takes this stranger home to smoke a joint and have nonpenetrating sex. With this flawed logic, naturally marriage follows. For Jill, marriage is “a question of identity” and for Jack, “it’s a a question of commitment.”

Martin has written a strongly woman-oriented play. Jill may have left Jack in a “narcissistic fit of self-realization,” but the possibility for reuniting arises only when Jill is willing to reach out, having already rejected Jack’s tentative offerings.

There are touching moments and chance meetings. But Martin’s script so narrowly defines the characters’ feelings that there is little room for doubt or mystery or the lovely feeling of romance.

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* “Jack & Jill, a Romance,” International City Theatre, Long Beach City College, Clark Street and Harvey Way. Fridays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends Nov. 16. $20. (562) 938-4128. Running time: 2 hours.