ACCENTS AND PACE HAMPER LTN’S

WEST MOON STREET

Theater Babe Says:  Go . . . and Show Your Support for Local Theatre

Farce is perhaps the most challenging of all art forms to produce.  While the Theater Babe applauds the effort that is inherent in the Little Theatre of Norfolk’s West Moon Street, this production does not fully rise to the challenge.

West Moon Street was written by Rob Urbinati based upon an Oscar Wilde story, so it is not surprising that elements of the play are reminiscent of The Importance of Being Earnest.  West Moon Street also takes place during the Victorian era, and, like Earnest, parodies the British aristocracy of that period through use of a nonsensical plot.  At a soiree hosted by Lady Windermere, a socialite who prides herself on maintaining an eclectic guest list, Lord Arthur Savile has his palm read, only to learn that he is destined to commit a murder.  Because he cannot abide the notion that his fiancé, Sybil, might suffer any adverse consequences from his unfortunate future, Lord Arthur concludes that he must commit the murder before the wedding to get it over and done before they proceed into nuptial bliss.  The lengths to which Lord Arthur is willing to go to fulfill his “destiny” and whether he succeeds are the essence of the story.

The plot is featherweight, but under Rick Hite’s direction, the LTN production is ponderous mostly due to the sluggish pace that undermines the quick, acerbic wit of the dialogue.  The humor in an Wilde-esque comedy is found in ludicrous statements delivered with utter sincerity – which is not the same as plodding seriousness.  Here, many of the actors speak in a determinedly measured rate, and what should be light, ridiculous lines are therefore delivered with an unwarranted momentousness at odds with what is supposed to be sprightly comedy. 

Nowhere is that more obvious than the opening scene.  Lord Arthur (Christopher Bernhardt), Sybil (Darden Dickerson) and Sybil’s aunt, Lady Clem (Barbara Allan) are gathered with Lady Windermere (Kendra Merlet) during a party.  The dialogue is designed to introduce certain subplots that should lend tension to the tale, but the pedantic delivery of the lines causes our attention to drift and the opportunity to add complexity to the basic storyline is lost.

As Lord Arthur, Mr. Bernhardt delivers an energetic performance and his enthusiasm for theatre is both obvious and delightful.  His portrayal, however, presents the character as a buffoon – understandable, perhaps, since on the word of a total stranger, Lord Arthur decides he must kill someone.  That interpretation has significant deleterious ramifications on the other main characters by undercutting their credibility.  Because Lord Arthur’s absurdity is highlighted almost to the exclusion of any positive quality, we cannot understand why Ms. Dickerson’s elegant Sybil would find him appealing, and we do not believe that Lady Windermere, who apparently thrives upon wit and intrigue, would be so enamored that she fabricates a complicated scheme intended to end his engagement. 

Ms. Merlet’s portrayal of Lady Windermere is plagued by her choice to speak in an affected accent toned in a cadence that does not please the ear.  Although Lady Windermere is the spoke around which the plot turns, Ms. Merlet’s performance does not convey the whimsical calculation necessary for the role to be truly convincing.  As Sybil, Ms. Dickerson is lovely but bland; because we do not believe she truly possesses any affection for Lord Arthur and no other motivation is persuasively presented, her protestations regarding the postponement of their wedding fall flat.  Lady Clem has some of the best punchlines in the show, but Ms. Allan’s delivery of her dialogue is constantly hindered by her choice to use an exaggerated nasal accent that is often unintelligible. 

The most credible and diverting performances are by actors who have comparatively little stage time.  As Herr Winckelkopf, an “expert” whom Lord Arthur consults as he plans the murder, Jonathan Hite is enjoyably menacing.  He presents a comedic darkness as he lurks and scowls, and we believe in his villainy even as we are entertained by it.  Mr. Hite embraces the preposterous dialogue without overacting, and his best moment may be when Herr Winckelkopf explains the ethics of his profession. 

 

Wade Brinkley gives a standout performance as Charles, Lord Arthur’s valet, who assists his employer in managing the logistics that engineering a murder entails.  Mr. Brinkley is the epitome of the stereotypical unflappable British servant, and his handling of Lord Arthur’s wardrobe demonstrates a keen understanding of subtle physical comedy, garnering repeated and well-deserved laughter from the appreciative audience.  He speaks in a natural, credible accent and delivers his lines with an understated drollness that is perfectly suited to his character.

The set design by Brian Cebrian is interesting and visually appealing, consisting merely of a few pieces of furniture set before a scrim on which silhouettes of windows or trees are projected to suggest a backdrop.  Director Rick Hite, Mr. Cebrian and lighting director B Butterbaugh choose to leave the scrim lit throughout the performance so that the actors traversing across the back of the stage are fully visible at all times.  Occasionally one of the actors does a bit that merits the attention, but mostly we just watch people walk back and forth, contributing to the protracted pace.  Likewise, the stage crew (Brian Cebrian, Pate Fresh and John Roberts) are costumed and move the furniture on and off with choreographed flourishes, with mixed results.  Some of the stage crew’s antics are indisputably amusing, but it is an ineffective way to strike a set between each and every scene.  If the pace of the acted scenes were more lively, perhaps the scene changes would be a charming distraction.  As it is, however, except in certain plot-specific moments, the composed performance of the scene changes simply adds to the length of the production.

Musician Celicia Slafter adds a nice touch by performing brief, well-known melodies on various instruments to enhance tone and provide foreshadowing, and the Theater Babe would welcome the opportunity to hear her play in a show that would better permit her to display the breadth of her talent.  The costumes, by Kat Fresh, uniformly evoke the appropriate time period.

Bottom line?  For farce to be successful, we must believe that the characters believe in what they say and that their actions have a purpose, however far-fetched.  Because that credibility is largely lacking in LTN’s West Moon Street, the production is not entirely successful, but it is always worthwhile to support local community theatre.

 

Performances run thru April 7^th, Friday – Saturday at 8 p.m.

and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

at The David L. Burton Playhouse,

the Little Theatre of Norfolk

801 Claremont Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia 23507

Tickets are $17 with discounts for full-time students, seniors and military.

There is an additional $2 fee per ticket order – purchased online or in person

Reservations can be obtained by calling the box office at (757) 627-8551 or

ordering online at ltnonline.org.

 

 
© 2013 Hampton Roads Theater Babe. All Rights Reserved.

 

PCT'S ALWAYS . . . PATSY CLINE IS MORE THAN FUN

Theater Babe Says:  Go . . . and Take a Melodic Walk Down Memory Lane

For Peninsula Community Theatre’s third production of the season, director Stephen Mason and his talented cast present a show that is a rollicking good time and touches the heart.

Based loosely on a true story, Always . . . Patsy Cline depicts the development of an unusual relationship between the famous singer and a dedicated fan.  The cast is limited to those two characters and the musicians who perform with Pasty.  Louise carries the bulk of the dialogue, telling the tale of how she came to learn of Pasty Cline, and the night they met which forged a friendship that lasted a lifetime.  Interspersed through Louise’s memories are twenty-seven of Patsy’s best beloved songs which both shape and give depth to the story.

Mr. Mason wisely chose to double-cast the demanding role of Patsy Cline, but the Theater Babe only had the opportunity to see the show once.  Kathy Watley possesses an amazing voice, and delivers a strong performance that celebrates her pure pitch and pleasing, husky timbre.  Ms. Watley is slightly stiff in her initial banter with the musicians and does not quite capture the easy, folksy charm that was part of Ms. Cline’s appeal, but as the show progresses, the delivery of her lines becomes more relaxed and comfortable -- and therefore more credible.  Ms. Watley is a powerful, versatile singer, and her renditions of such diverse tunes as the classic, “Walkin’ After Midnight,” the wistful “If I Could See the World (Through the Eyes of a Child)” and the show-stopping “Lovesick Blues” are truly memorable.  Perhaps what is most impressive about Ms. Watley’s performance is that she embraces the distinctive stylings that were so unique to Ms. Cline’s vocals but does not merely duplicate the well-known recordings; within the strict confines of the role Ms. Watley is able to make the music her own, with gratifying results.

Structurally, the show depends on Louise’s character to give substance and context to what otherwise would be nothing more than a concert.  Heather Maury rises to the challenge and her finely-tuned, dynamic characterization of the quirky Louise is a commensurate match for Ms. Watley’s fine performance.  Ms. Maury shines in the broad comedy that is inherent in the role, but she does not permit that to be the sum total of her performance.  Rather, she also presents lovely, introspective moments that take her vibrant energy and channels it into a quiet intensity, depicting Louise as more than just a groupie.  It is because of Ms. Maury’s convincing performance that we believe that a real relationship exists between the two women, and that sincerity is what makes the show more than just a fun retrospective of Patsy Cline tunes. 

Mr. Mason’s blocking makes excellent use of the simple but effective set designed by Ellen Eames and is wonderfully enhanced by John Wilt’s lighting design.  The show is written in a pattern that seldom varies -- Louise explains the circumstances, then Patsy sings – and the consistency could easily become tedious.  Here, under Mr. Mason’s notable direction, the musical numbers are distinct in mood and presentation, and there is a subtle flow to his choice of staging that creates a cohesive whole.  A rare misstep is in the first act’s “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” where Louise “helps” Pasty by conducting the band.  While Ms. Maury gives it her all, unabashedly gyrating and shimmying, it is a single visual joke that warrants a quick, robust laugh, but is insufficient to last the entire length of the song.  Additionally, Ms. Watley’s outstanding interpretation of that song is undermined by the constant distraction of Louise’s antics.  Had the staging started and ended with Louise’s exploits, with Louise remaining frozen in position during the majority of the song, we could have better enjoyed Louise’s frenetic comedy, Patsy’s impassioned vocals, and the juxtaposition between the two.  That is a minor critique, however, in a show that is dominated by successful staging and a perfect partnership between two gifted performers.

The costumes, by Kat Fresh, are uneven.  Pasty’s wardrobe throughout is well done and faultlessly reminiscent of dresses and costumes preserved in photos and videos of Ms. Cline’s performances.  Louise’s overall appearance suffers from its indeterminate time period:  the shirt and jeans are of a 21^st century cut, while her make-up and hairstyle evoke the late 1960s/early 1970s.  Because the show is a depiction of her memories, a more uniform overall look that placed Louise’s character in a distinct timeframe would have reinforced the idea silently presented by the old-style furniture and jukebox of the set that this moment in time is so poignant to Louise that, years after the fact, it remains crystal clear.  Similarly, the jeans worn by Patsy’s female background vocal artist is a jarring note; in 1961, it is extremely unlikely that a female performer would have worn trousers, let alone jeans.  It is a small detail that unnecessarily detracts from the overall credibility of the performance.

The musicians are superb.  Music director Betsy Forrest has assembled a well-balanced and exceptionally talented group of instrumentalists (Bill Armstrong, Andrew Blackmon, Jeff Sherman, Elizabeth Delk Stacy, Kurt Stahmer, Mark Stahmer) and vocalists (David Murray, Nerissa V. Thompson, Jordan Wentland) who are simply a pleasure to hear, and their occasional interactions with the actors are delightful. 

Bottom line?  PCT’s production of Always . . . Patsy Cline is a fun, heart-warming show brimming with talented performers and is well worth the time and the ticket price.

Performances run thru March 16th at 8 p.m. at the Peninsula Community Theatre

10521 Warwick Boulevard, Newport News, Virginia 23601.
Tickets are $16 and can be obtained by
calling the box office at (757) 595-5728 or online at pctlive.org.

© 2013 Hampton Roads Theater Babe. All Rights Reserved.