'2 Across' a highly enjoyable ride

"2 Across," Utah Theatre Artists Company, through Jan. 23, The Sugar Space, 616 E. Wilmington Ave. (801-842-7483); running time: one hour, 20 minutes (no intermission)

Heading in to the latest production by up-and-coming Utah Theatre Artists Company, I said to my friend, "They're small, but their work is usually good."

I was happy to be proved right with their current show, "2 Across," a romantic comedy written by Jerry Mayer, who has also contributed to hit TV shows such as "All in the Family," "The Bob Newhart Show" and "M*A*S*H."

Written with a bit of input from Mayer's wife of 51 years, "2 Across" is about two people on board the 4:15 a.m. train as it leaves the San Francisco station heading toward East Bay — a trip of 80 minutes, acted out in real time, with no intermission.

During their time on the train, they both struggle through the New York Times crossword puzzle, using it as a metaphor of life: people who finish and people who don't; people who are committed and people who aren't.

And with each passing stop, they learn a little bit more about each other.

The theater company offers up a very good production of a delightful comedy. A sparse set — train chairs, a map on the wall and a list of the rules — and two people are all the show requires.

But with a show so heavy on a rapid back and forth, the play needs two people who are engaging and likable.

Real-life couple Nova Calverley-Chase and Jeremy W. Chase fill the commuting shoes … and they're wonderful.

Calverley-Chase is the uptight mom/always-finish-the-puzzle type, and Chase is the out-of-work/do-the-puzzle-till-it-annoys-me type.

They had a believable back and forth, and an enjoyable chemistry.

Director Lane Richins does a great job with the difficult task of keeping the show — two people sitting on a train — visually interesting.

I would have liked to have seen Chase in a costume that is just a touch sharper. His tan shirt, black jacket and jeans make him look a little too much like a schlub for the woman to be taken with him.

He's supposed to be a free-spirit of sorts, but I thought he just looked sloppy.

But that's not much to gripe about. The show is not only fun and light-hearted, it offers a fun crossword play-along factor and just might leave you, like me, looking up more about the sonnets of Petrarch.

e-mail: ehansen@desnews.com