My Girlfriend is an Alien Review – Metaphorically Speaking By Elaine L. Mura

Fictional playwright Keith DeFacto wrote MY GIRLFRIEND IS AN ALIEN! But DeFacto just cannot bring himself to admit that his play reveals more about his innermost fears and anxieties than he imagined it would. Thus, real-life playwright Neil McGowan introduces his fictional alter-ego, a man who feels that he is an outsider and unworthy of love. But a man who will literally go through anything to find “Ms. Right.” And he does.

Carole Weyers and Keith Stevenon – Photo by Justin Preston
On the surface a spoof of science fiction B movies, MY GIRLFRIEND IS AN ALIEN! BY KEITH DEFACTO deftly probes the question of risk in relationships. Is it better to remain alone or to risk being hurt? Is it safer to remain on the fringes, a perpetual outsider, or to dive headfirst into the choppy seas of love. Award-winning director Guillermo Cienfuegos “gets it,” and a merry romp through the dangers of dating begins. A play which draws the audience in, MY GIRLFRIEND IS AN ALIEN! BY KEITH DEFACTO gets its share of chuckles and guffaws as Keith De Facto (Keith Stevenson) engages in a push-pull relationship with alien girlfriend Carole (Carole Weyers). A play within a play, the action sometimes stops – and the lights even go out – as the external world pushes into his magnus opus, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.

Sophie Pollono – Photo by Justin Preston
Keith is plagued by Doubt (Michael Prichard), while Reality (Dan Cole) and Inspiration (Sophie Pollono) sometimes clash. MY GIRLFRIEND IS AN ALIEN! BY KEITH DEFACTO energetically and humorously offers tentative solutions to Keith’s lack of self-esteem, burgeoning anxieties, and inability to think “outside the box.” Even though he seems to live outside the box.

Scenic design/construction by Guillermo Cienfuegos and Keith Stevenson (with help from Norman Scott) is fluid and well-suited to this meandering tale of attraction, rejection, and what it means to feel. Justin Preston’s lighting, Keith Stevenson’s sound, and Christine Cover Ferro’s costumes add to the spontaneity inherent in the piece. The entire talented cast makes the lines seem almost off-the-cuff as they effortlessly appear to add-lib through the story. A special nod to actor Carole Weyers, who looks like the real thing – an alien on a mission. And to Keith Stevenson, who makes misery, fun. MY GIRLFRIEND IS AN ALIEN! BY KEITH DEFACTO is a fresh look at a topic that has stimulated and intrigued playwrights for hundreds of years. Audience alert: expect the unexpected.  Keith Stevenson and Elspeth Weingarten – Photo by Justin Preston

MY GIRLFRIEND IS AN ALIEN! BY KEITH DEFACTO runs through October 2, 2016, with performances at 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and at 3 p.m. on Sundays (no performances on Saturday 9/10/16 or Thursday 9/22/16). Pacific Resident Theatre is located at 703 Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291. Tickets are $20. For information and reservations, call 310-822-8392 or go online.