farce

REVIEW:  Featuring a superb comedic pair, chaos ensues with boundless creativity in Arlekin’s exceptional ‘Delirium’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

“If it’s not the pandemic,” Chulpan Khamatova as Her sadly reflects, “It’s war.” 

Set in contemporary war-torn Russia, two very different battles are occurring in and outside this small apartment.

A bubbling aquarium with a single roaming fish sits front and center and plays an important role in this extraordinary piece of brilliant comedy set in a world of chaos.  From the first few moments with Andrey Burkovskiy as Him who makes even single handedly entering an apartment entertaining, I knew I was about to see something extraordinarily special. 

Andrey Burkovskiy and Chulpan Khamatova (and a fish!) in Arlekin’s ‘Delirium’ Photo by Olga Maturana

Masterfully adapted from Romanian-French playwright Eugène Ionesco‘s Frenzy for Two and directed by Igor Golak, the Elliot Norton award-winning Arlekin Players continue their world premiere of absurdist play, Delirium live and in person for a limited time at the Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through Thursday, July 2.  This semi-interactive one act production runs approximately 80 minutes with no intermission.  The action is not limited to the stage.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Burkovskiy demonstrated his vast talents for visual comedy and slapstick humor in small doses in Arlekin’s previous award-winning The Dybbuk, but here Burkovskiy really gets to show off his deadpan comedic skills alongside critically-acclaimed Russian actress Chulpan Khamatova as Her. 

Andrey Burkovskiy and Chulpan Khamatova in Arlekin’s ‘Delirium Photo by Olga Maturana

From a polka dot dance floor to streaming spotlights to flashes of sudden darkness, lighting designer Jeff Adelberg and inventive sound designer Denis Zabiyaka work together seamlessly navigating sound effects and the spontaneous underlying intensity of this production.  Jan Pappelbaum’s dual level industrial set with metallic columns and scaffolding hold a variety of meticulously placed multi-purpose props including mattresses, a parasol and a scratched mirror to help illustrate their longtime relationship which is not without its ebbs and flows inside this small apartment.  In purple tights, sparkling black heels, a leopard patterned fur coat and a sequin dress, Khamatova rocks her distinct ensemble thanks to chic costumer Sasha Ageeva.  Burkovskiy complements Khamatova beautifully in a black tuxedo adorned with large purple flower in the lapel.

Delivering energetic performances with sporadic doses of self aware humor and razor sharp comedic timing, Burkovskiy and Khamatova are a suburb comedic match.  Khamatova is capricious, thoughtful, flirtatious and fiery while Burkovskiy is a romantic yet practical gentleman. They bicker, belittle, and lament yet their petty arguments are wildly eccentric and creative showcasing an absurdly passionate and wild bond.  Never on the same page until it counts.  They are also witty, playful, chaotic, imaginative, endearing funny and feed off each other so well that it is easy to forget they are in the throes of war just outside their makeshift window.  I could watch them all day.

Andrey Burkovskiy and Chulpan Khamatova in Arlekin’s ‘Delirium’ Photo by Olga Maturana

 “The world is upside down,” Khamatova muses and much like this quick witted production, things change on a dime.   

Delirium is as unpredictable and funny as it is stirring and startling.  I was incredibly moved by the boundless creativity, the complicated emotions, and the timely significance of this entire production.  It’s definitely worth it.    

Take time to see the world premiere of Arlekin’s absurdist play, Delirium live and in person for a limited time at the Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through Thursday, July 2. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Greater Boston Stage Company’s infectiously charming but muddled ‘Murder for Two’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

A surprise party goes awry and one ambitious investigator is on the scene.

With fast paced direction by Tyler Rosati and versatile music direction by Bethany Aiken, Greater Boston Stage Company continues murder mystery musical farce Murder for Two live and in person through Sunday, November 9 live at Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham, Massachusetts. This semi-interactive whodunit two hander is 90 minutes without an intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Jared Troilo in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Murder for Two’ Photo by Niles Scott Studios

Katy Monthei’s vintage mansion setting creates a homey atmosphere which includes dated wallpaper, cluttered bookshelves, several mismatched lamps, various knickknacks on scattered shelving, Egyptian rugs, framed portraits and a sleek black piano all framed by incandescent theatrical bulbs. 

Jared Troilo is “aw shucks” charming as determined and inventive New England police officer Marcus who dreams of one day being promoted to detective.  What better way to impress his boss than to solve this small town murder mystery of who murdered famed novelist Arthur Whitney.

One of the brightest spots of this production is Troilo and Will McGarrahan’s sublime turns on the piano. Whether competing or complementing each other while making some amazing music together, this multi-talented duo sure know how to captivate an audience. Their madcap piano workings are creative and thrilling.  As they tickle the keys at brisk and elegant paces, the rhythms work with Cost’s dazzling lighting to elevate the show’s playful suspense and navigates the show’s various moods, new thoughts, and each of McGarrahan’s frequent transformations into various murder suspects from toddler to elder.  

Will McGarrahan in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Murder for Two’ Photo by Niles Scott Studios

The brisk musical elements boast vaudeville and vintage Broadway flair while satirizing the nature of musical theatre.  For example, a cell phone ringing onstage is hilariously mistaken for an audience member’s rudeness. 

It is also greatly entertaining watching this comedic duo share great chemistry occasionally making each other laugh and other times barely holding it together during the production’s sillier moments.  It is no small task to put a show on of this caliber and both rise to the occasion. Troilo is a straight man Dean Martin to McGarrahan’s Jerry Lewis as McGarrahan slips into various accents, mannerisms, and rapidly poses as numerous suspects using merely a prop or piece of wardrobe separating each distinct character thanks to Chelsea Kerl’s jocular costume design from a multicolor scarf to a feather boa to a pink tutu and even a cocktail umbrella.

Will McGarrahan and Jared Troilo in Greater Boston Stage Company’s Murder for Two’ Photo by Niles Scott Studios

However, the show’s infectious charm cannot entirely make up for and a muddled murder mystery plot.  Using only this dynamic duo, it is still difficult to picture the scene of the crime and not enough distinction separating the various suspects.  Picturing multiple people in the room and the blocking at times doesn’t quite make sense and would be better understood with more than two people.  When Greater Boston Stage Company presented the one man Sleepy Hollow classic, its narration seemed to drive the story more clearly and perhaps that is what is missing here.

This production is far funnier than suspenseful and not to be taken seriously and perhaps this is all part of the joke, but it became difficult and a little frustrating visualizing this intriguing murder mystery you are also trying to solve alongside Marcus.

Jared Troilo and Will McGarrahan in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Murder for Two’ Photo by Niles Scott Studios

Jared Troilo and Will McGarrahan are two bright talents and such likable characters and yet, following the plot is a challenge to say the least.  If you can put that aside, Murder for Two features a wonderfully likable and impressive duo for an amazing and lighthearted evening.

Greater Boston Stage Company continues murder mystery musical farce Murder for Two live and in person through Sunday, November 9 live at Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham, Massachusetts.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  Greater Boston Stage Company’s zany ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ has the right idea

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

‘Come rain, come sleet, the show must go on!’

Singin’ in the Rain’s Donald O’Connor as Cosmo uttered this classic line from the beloved 1952 film which has been inspiring theatres for generations.  Greater Boston Stage Company’s The Play that Goes Wrong shows that rain and sleet are just a tip of the iceberg in a laundry list of all that can go wrong and you’ll be sure to delight in witnessing many of them here.

No matter what, the show must go on.

Buckle up for a bumpy ride courtesy of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society as they deliver an unconventional whodunit production that has Paul Melendy as an inspector engraving crime scene notes into a flower pot not to mention a dog missing somewhere on the premises!  If this all seems preposterous, that is just a glimpse into the inspired laughs at Haversham Manor in The Play That Goes Wrong.

The cast of Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Methodically directed by Tyler Rosati, Greater Boston Stage Company continues The Play That Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields continuing at Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham, Massachusetts through Saturday, April 19. This semi-interactive production is not limited to the stage and runs approximately two hours with one intermission. Click here for more information and tickets.

The Play That Goes Wrong is a British farce that first hit the London Stage in 2012 before it went on to make its way around the globe.  This award-winning whodunit play-within-a-play became so popular that it bore BBC’s The Goes Wrong Show lasting two seasons including holiday specials.

Sarah Gazdowicz, Liam Grimaldi and Paul Melendy in Greater Boston Stage Company's 'The Play that Goes Wrong' Photo by Maggie Hall Photography
Liam Grimaldi and Paul Melendy in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

After some interactive, pre-show comedic antics by Ceit Zweil as resolute stagehand Annie, Paul Melendy as Cornley’s warm yet befuddled director Chris sets the stage for what this enthusiastic and determined acting troupe has in store for its audience. What makes The Play That Goes Wrong particularly entertaining is just how well timed the cast must collaboratively be in order to make this type of auspicious theater.

Ceit Zweil and Sarah Morin in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

From an unpredictable corpse portrayed stealthily by Stewart Evan Smith to the various degrees of hysterics demonstrated by Sarah Gazdowicz and Ceit Zweli as well as various cast members’ feigned composure under fire, The Play That Goes Wrong runs the gamut from missed cues to an utterly sinking ship.  Zweli as stagehand Annie and Jeff Mahoney as baffled yet undeterred Duran Duran fan sound man Trevor are wonderful as they take the heat at times for guffaws from subtle to catastrophic in a perplexed malaise.

Mark Linehan, Ceit Zweil and Paul Melendy in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

With a sophisticated air adorned in an elegant and cascading dress, Gazdowicz as Sandra flails and flaunts with poise and urgency determined to portray Florence. She shares some frivolous moments with Liam Grimaldi who is occasionally overexaggerated as bad actor Max.   Sarah Morin as Denise demonstrates propriety and shrewdness in her deadpan delivery of occasionally tongue tied Butler Perkins while Mark Linehan delivers wit and gravitas as Robert who contributes to the clever sight gags and a wealth of hilarious improvising.

Sarah Gazdowicz, Liam Grimaldi and Paul Melendy in Greater Boston Stage Company's 'The Play that Goes Wrong' Photo by Maggie Hall Photography
Liam Grimaldi and Paul Melendy in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Costume designer E. Rosser captures the madcap essence of the British, upper crust atmosphere from various patterns and mismatched plaids to dapper three piece suits including a signature Inspector trench coat while Peter Colao and Danielle Ibrahim’s innovative and extraordinary set design brings in as many laughs as the cast’s humorous antics.  Accompanied by James Cannon’s cryptic and humorously misguided sound design and Katie Whittemore’s standout and suspenseful lighting, Haversham Manor’s elegant bookcase, classic wooden grandfather clock, brick fireplace, a functioning elevator, velvet sofa and second floor study all seem to have a life of their own in this delightful show.

Ceit Zweil, Sarah Gazdowicz, Paul Melendy and Mark Linehan in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Though a few of the running gags can go on a bit too long, The Play that Goes Wrong is a fun way to let loose and enjoy a lighthearted production where flustered cheeks become the norm and to find out just how far this entertaining group will go to for an uproarious good time.

Paul Melendy and Mark Linehan in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Greater Boston Stage Company presents The Play That Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields continuing through April 19 at Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham, Massachusetts.  Click here for more information and tickets.

REVIEW:  Love reigns supreme in The Huntington’s whimsical ‘The Triumph of Love’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Witness impassioned lovers and the loved overwhelmed.

Directed shrewdly by Loretta Greco,  this is the language of love in Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux’s French romantic farce, The Triumph of Love continuing live and in person at the Huntington Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, April 6.  This whimsical tale runs two hours and 15 minutes with one intermission and Joanna Strapp stepped in for Marianna Bassham as  Léonide for this performance. This production is also available to stream. Click here for more information and for tickets.

The cast of The Triumph of Love; directed by Loretta Greco; photo by Liza Voll

The Triumph of Love waxes poetic about love and then some in this elaborate love story that contains as many declarations of love as lighthearted comedy.  Though The Triumph of Love was written in 1732, it contains insightful ideas, humor, and a classic storyline that connected with its era just as effectively as it does a contemporary audience in delightful ways.

If love is a battlefield, Alison Altman as confident, passionate, and outspoken Léonide is a commander.  In a layered and juicy love story,   Princess Léonide pursues naïve and sheltered Agis, portrayed nobly by Robert Kellogg, who is sequestered in Hermocrate’s country retreat.  However, in order to get close enough to Agis, Altman and Avanthika Srinivansan as her humorous maid Corine must disguise themselves as men and execute a delicate, devious, absurd and yet brilliant scheme to win her true love by using all the wiles she knows how.

Left to right: Allison Altman, Rob B. Kellogg in The Triumph of Love; directed by Loretta Greco; photo by Liza Voll

Junghyun Georgia Lee’s serene scenic design boasts a lovely garden landscape embellished with lemon trees, florals, vine covered walls, and a stone bench while Fan Zhang intertwines classical and contemporary French flair to Zhang’s original music and sound design.  The painted skyline fades from turquoise to pastels to aquamarine through Christopher Akerlind’s romantic lighting expressing the progression of the day.  Lee also demonstrates 18th century French fashion beautifully in elegant silk gowns with petticoats, fingerless gloves, colorful cravats, refined vests and boots as well as finely detailed frock coats with gold embellishments and multicolor garments.

Left to right: Marianna Bassham, Allison Altman, Vincent Randazzo in The Triumph of Love; directed by Loretta Greco; photo by Liza Voll

Led by Alison Altman as Princess  Léonide whose complex character is somewhat of an antihero,  The Triumph of Love champions a remarkable cast and Marivaux’s script offers each character an opportunity to shine during the production.  Occasionally addressing the audience,  Altman’s relentlessly determined Léonide has some earmarks of both hero and villain.  She is conscious of her power to influence and manipulate while pulling the strings of each character for love’s sake.  Resisting her charms is near impossible and Altman masters this multidimensional character with finesse though you may be occasionally torn about her decisions.

Left to right: Marianna Bassham, Nael Nacer in The Triumph of Love; directed by Loretta Greco; photo by Liza Voll

Altman’s Léonide shares enchanting chemistry with nearly everyone, but her brief encounters with Kellogg as Agis are sweet and splendid.  They are adorable together and it’s easy to root for this pair.  The plot thickens pretty quickly and most of this lighthearted farce is not meant to be taken seriously.  

Strapp  as Léontine and Nael Nacer as Hermocrate portray virtuous and staunchly reasonable siblings who have shut out the world with their nephew Agis to pursue the intellectual life.  The entire cast delivers sharp comic timing and while Vincent Randazzo as Harlequin get his share of laughs, Strapp and Nacer’s moments of exasperation, panic and self aware humor is first rate as exemplified in one instance where Nacer looks around and softly wonders, ‘Why am I standing here?’  With realizations so innocent and captivating, it won’t take you long to love them both. 

Left to right: Patrick Kerr, Vincent Randazzo in The Triumph of Love; directed by Loretta Greco; photo by Liza Voll

Statements such as ‘God forbid there should be love in that house’ and  ‘Perhaps if I could be hilarious for awhile, I could amuse myself to death’ are just a couple of the hilarious quips uttered by Vincent Randazzo as Harlequin, Hermocrate’s valet.  Rambunctious and mischievous, Randazzo’s frank delivery and gossipy nature are only outdone by his comical facial expressions.  With Patrick Kerr as practical gardener and straight man Dimas, they make a wonderfully humorous duo.   

Madcap and absorbing, bring love to the front lines with The Triumph of Love continuing live and in person at the Huntington Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, April 6. This production is also available to stream.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Lyric Stage Company’s ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ madcap and hilarious

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Buckle up for a bumpy ride courtesy of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society as they deliver an unconventional whodunit production that has an inspector engraving notes on a crime scene into a flower pot and not to mention that mysterious, mangled, and empty dog cage!  If this all seems preposterous, that is just a glimpse into the hilarity that ensues at Haversham Manor in The Play That Goes Wrong.

Directed fervently and methodically by Fred Sullivan Jr., The Lyric Stage Company presents The Play That Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields continuing through December 18. This semi-interactive show that is not just limited to the stage space is approximately two hours with one intermission. Click here for more information and tickets.

Dan Whelton and Michael Liebhauser in Lyric Stage Company’s ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ Photo credit to Mark S Howard/Lyric Stage Company

The Play That Goes Wrong is a British farce that first hit the London Stage in 2012 before it went on to make its way around the world. This award-winning whodunit play within a play became so popular, it bore BBC’s The Goes Wrong Show that just completed its second season last year.

After some interactive, pre-show comedic antics by Alexa Cadete as resolute stagehand Annie, Michael Liebhauser’s warm and dry sense of humor as Director Chris sets the stage for what this enthusiastic and determined acting troupe has in store for its audience. What makes The Play That Goes Wrong particularly entertaining is just how well timed the cast must collaboratively be in order to make such auspicious theater.

Kelby T Akin, Nora Eschenheimer, Marc Pierre, and Dan Garcia in Lyric Stage Company’s ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ Photo credit to Mark S Howard/Lyric Stage Company

From an unpredictable corpse portrayed with misguided panache by Dan Garcia to the various degrees of hysterics demonstrated by Cadete and Nora Eschenheimer as well as various cast members’ feigned composure under fire, The Play That Goes Wrong is a brilliant must see.  Cadete as stagehand Annie and Mitch Kiliulis as baffled sound man Trevor are wonderful as they take the heat at times for guffaws from subtle to catastrophic in a perplexed malaise.

Wearing a dazzling smile adorned in an elegant and cascading dress, Eschenheimer as Sandra flails and flaunts with poise and pizzazz as she ardently attempts to portray Florence. She shares some frivolous moments and a gift for physical comedy with Marc Pierre as clever and sophisticated Max. Pierre’s melodramatic and smirking expressions make him a bit of a scene stealer while Dan Whelton demonstrates more propriety as Dennis depicts Butler Perkins. Whelton is sophisticated and shrewd if not for an occasional dialect stumble here and there, handled drolly as only a regal thespian can. Kelby T. Akin rounds out this cast delivering wit and gravitas as Robert contributes to the clever sight gags and a wealth of hilarious improvising takes on new meaning.

Kelby T. Akin and Marc Pierre in Lyric Stage Company’s ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ Photo credit Mark S Howard The Lyric Stage Company

Costume designer Gail Astrid Buckley captures the essence of the British, upper crust atmosphere from various plaids to dapper suits including a signature Inspector trench coat while Peter Colao’s innovative and extraordinary set design brings in as many laughs as the cast’s humorous antics. Accompanied by Dewey Dellay’s spot on sound design and John Milinowski’s standout and suspenseful lighting, Haversham Manor’s elegant bookcase, classic wooden grandfather clock, a roaring fireplace, a functioning elevator, velvet sofa and a second floor study all seem to have a life of their own in this delightful show.

It is hands down among the funniest performances the Sleepless Critic has seen all year. Not only is the multi-layered direction intricate and perceptive, but each cast member’s razor sharp comedic chops rise to the occasion at times quite literally! The Play that Goes Wrong is a great way to let loose and enjoy a lighthearted production where flustered cheeks become the norm and to find out just how far this masterful group will go to for an uproarious good time.

The Lyric Stage Company presents The Play That Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields continuing through December 18. This semi-interactive show that is not just limited to the stage space is approximately two hours with one intermission. Click here for more information and tickets.

REVIEW: Footlight Club’s ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ clever and comedic fun

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

It’s the age old question:  “What’s in a name?”  Apparently it makes all the difference in the world in Oscar Wilde’s classic play, The Importance of Being Earnest, a high society romantic farcical comedy written twenty years after The Footlight Club was established in 1877.  Full of adages about life and relationships as well as its fair share of ploys, elaborate scheming, love at first sight, and mistaken identity, The Importance of Being Earnest proves that some things are timeless.

The Footlight Club, the oldest running theatre in the nation, boasts renovations that include new seating and more at Eliot Hall.  Directed by David Marino, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest continues at Eliot Hall in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 15.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

It is amazing to see how far theatre has come over the years.  The Importance of Being Earnest is a lighthearted production told in three acts with each act separated by the drop of the stage curtain.  It is refreshing to see this production in vintage form, especially in a day and age where rolling sets and elevated scenery eliminates the need to close the curtain until intermission.

The Footlight Club The Importance of Being Earnest Michael Jay and Frances Price

Michael Jay as Jack and Frances Price as Lady Bracknell Photo credit to Elizabeth Bean/Footlight Club

Zach Best, David Alger, and Cara Guappone’s elegantly-detailed set, which includes a brass chandelier, seemingly expensive wall hangings, and plush furniture, reflect 1895 London, where high society’s seemingly biggest worries are when to dine, when to have tea, and when to go to the club.  However, even in Audrey Stuck-Girard’s regal costumes, the rich nevertheless have their own relatable issues whether it’s over family, love, and happiness.

What keeps Oscar Wilde’s show so relevant is its witty and hilarious script, showing even the simplest things in life can be the most elusive.  Its comic observations about family, love and society can be scathing, but possess a remarkable ring of truth.

The madcap, clever cast has impressive comic timing, especially Bradley Boucher’s knack for physical humor as Algernon Moncrieff.  Back in 2002, Rupert Everett starred as Algernon Moncrieff at age 43 in the film adaptation joined by a stellar cast that included Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Judi Dench, and Tom Wilkinson.  At first glance, Bradley Boutcher looked too young to portray the suave and sardonic Algernon, especially as he spends a great deal of the show making quips about life as only a well-experienced individual can.  However, Boutcher’s smug smile and shrewd comic timing gradually won me over despite some misgivings and he became quite a scene stealer.

Footlight Club The Importance of Being Earnest Elizabeth Loranth as Gwendolyn and Michael Jay as Jack Worthing

Elizabeth Loranth as Gwendolyn and Michael Jay as Jack Worthing Photo credit to Matt McKee/Footlight Club

Boutcher as Moncrieff and Michael Jay as excitable and anxious Jack Worthing share an amusing, competitive camaraderie as they attempt to prove one wiser than the other.  It is fun to see two very different personalities collide over something as trivial as muffins.

In an extravagant feathered hat, Frances Price flourishes as outspoken, society-minded Lady Augusta Bracknell.  Price strikes a delicate balance between well intentioned and intrusive, making distinguished Lady Bracknell likable, even when her lips curve into a judgmental frown.

Kevin Brunton’s droll presence as Lane/Merriman enhances each scene while Gabrielle Jaques as seemingly sweet, wide-eyed Cecily and Elizabeth Loranth as elegant Gwendolyn are fascinating to watch as their characters become increasingly more complicated.  Jennifer Bean as quirky, love struck Miss Prism and Tim Joseph as amiable Reverend Chasuble round out this stellar cast and make Earnest much more than a name, indeed.

Footlight Club The Importance of Being Earnest Jennifer Beam as Miss Prism and Tim Joseph as Reverend Chasuble

Jennifer Bean as Miss Prism and Tim Joseph as Reverend Chasuble Photo credit to Elizabeth Bean/Footlight Club

The Footlight Club presents Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest at Eliot Hall, 7A Eliot Street in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 15.  Click here for more information and tickets to Footlight’s Club final show of the season.

REVIEW: Love and marriage gets wildly complicated in amusing romantic comedy farce, TCAN’s ‘First Things First’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Ever told a white lie that manifests itself into a whopper?  One where the truth becomes hazy?  That’s partly what The Center for the Arts in Natick’s (TCAN) romantic comedy farce First Things First is all about.  Presented by Mutual One Bank, First Things First delves into love, marriage, and what can become of a little white lie.

Written by Derek Benfield and directed by Kathy Lague, TCAN’s First Things First continues its run through Sunday, March 17 at 14 Summer Street in Natick, Massachusetts.  Parking is free on Sundays.  The Center for the Arts in Natick is a charming theatre space that also holds other events including a movie theatre.  Click here for more information, tickets, and how to become a member.

TCAN's First Things First

Photo courtesy of TCAN

This story is outlandish, which is the true nature of a farce.  Boy meets girl.  Boy marries girl.  Girl gets lost on a mountain.  Boy marries another girl.  Then the girl returns.  What’s a guy to do?  Set entirely in the living room of newly married couple Pete and Sarah’s apartment, each character has his or her own ulterior motive of how this story will play out.

Set designer Tom Powers creates a cozy, welcoming environment with warm colors, coordinated paintings on the walls, and a large sofa.  Classic songs about love and marriage by Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole add a lighthearted, vintage flair.

The cast delivers quite a few surprises on this comedic journey and wait for the twist.  Sarah, portrayed with a good measure of feigned, wide eyed naiveté by Laura Deschaines, is Pete’s wife.  In a business suit and beard is Scott Saley as optimistic Pete, a man in for a surprise.  As the characters delve deeper into deception, credit is due for keeping Derek Benfield’s increasing complicated plot straight.  Scott Saley has a knack for physical comedy.  His amusing facial expressions become more entertaining as the plot thickens.

Cathy Merlo portrays Pete’s steely and judgmental mother in law.  Her pink suit is the only thing demure about her.  She’s a woman used to being in charge and her schemes with Laura Deschaines are fun to watch.  David Rustin as Pete’s unwitting friend George offers a great deal of observational humor as does Alessandra Horton as sweet and mysterious Jessica.

TCAN - The cast and crew of First Things First

The cast and crew of TCAN’s ‘First Things First’

The Center for the Arts in Natick present romantic comedy farce First Things First through Sunday, March 17.  Click here for more information and tickets.  Click here for more on TCAN’s 2019 season.