Scottsdale Community Player's Charley's Aunt at Stagebrush Theatre
(out of 
)Mark S.P. Turvin
(home office) (602) 912-0117
I can be reached for comment via e-mail at: mspt@goldfishpublishers.com
Reviewed 10/29/99
(out of )Farce is one of the most difficult-to-produce forms of theatre. It's production usually requires pinpoint accuracy from director, actors, and technicians to be successfully hilarious and endearing. When everything clicks, the audience buys into the silliness and is carried along through its improbabilities. A fine example of a flimsily funny farce is Brandon Thomas' 1892 cross-dressing melee, Charley's Aunt. Often, if elements of the show do not work in synch, the production grinds to a halt and becomes tedious. The production of this farce mounted by Stagebrush Theatre under the direction of rising star director Robyn Ferracane, and assisted by her equally talented brother Rusty Ferracane, was not as accurate on its opening night as it could have been. Surprisingly, though, Ms. Ferracane's concept, and a few of the performances, balanced with the deficiencies to create an enjoyable evening of theatre.
British college dandies Jack and Charley have lost their hearts to giggly beauties Kitty and Amy. They must tell them of their affections before they part for the summer. The surprise visit of Charley's hitherto unseen Aunt Donna Lucia d'Alvadorez provides the perfect chaperoned setting to profess their love. But when the old Brazilian-by-marriage dame must miss her appointment, Jack and Charley enlist the help of their foppish friend, Lord Fancourt Babberley (appropriately nicknamed Babs), to impersonate the visiting aunt with outlandish results. Add to the mix Jack's widowed father, Colonel Sir Francis Chesney, the girl's boorish protector, Mr. Spettigue, and a surprise appearance by the Aunt and her adopted niece, Ela Delahay, to whom Babs had previously lost his heart, and you have a farcical situation of the ages. While Oscar Wilde it's not, the script definitely has its rollicking moments.
Ms. Ferracane has chosen to stylize the movements and delivery of this three-act play to an almost regimented design. Performers swagger and sit in unison. Comedic conversations take on a slapstick tone. Games of keep-away become precarious passing games. If the script called for more doors slamming, it might very well have been timed with military precision. It's a funny concept, though imprecisely executed on opening night. The imprecision was not bad enough to negatively affect the show, and will undoubtedly work itself out through the run.
Ultimately, while the show rises and falls on the connection of its performers, a strong Babs can carry the day. Ms. Ferracane has tapped the normally behind-the-scenes Timothy C. Slope to wear one of his own, beautiful dresses, and the choice makes the difference. Mr. Slope plays the foppish Babs wonderfully, and hilariously misrepresents Charley's Aunt with little change in his voice and carriage. It is Mr. Slope's work in particular that raises the level of the production from imprecise to enjoyable.
Despite some of the hesitations and miscues, several others provide impressive performances. Seemingly reprising his role in last season's The Boy Friend, T. John Weltzien dons four hats in this production and balances them all wonderfully. His stuffy Colonel is one of the more precise performers in the production. Another great and broad performance comes from SBT's own resident "Grand Dame," Kathi Osborne as the unexpected Donna Lucia. An over-the-top turn with funny results is given by Bruce Halperin as the money-grubbing Mr. Spettigue.
As the interchangeably cutesy love interests, Cara Abrams and Alanna Wilson are appropriately cloying and radiant. The weaker performances come from Bob Pemberton and Joseph Roberts as Jack and Charley. Perhaps a bit too young for their roles, they drift in and out of the precise choreography, and are sometimes too softspoken to carry the bulk of the show.
Mr. Weltzien's other three hats are just as well-handled as his performance, and his set design is impressive in it's three act grandeur, just as Mr. Slope scores a double success with his well-appointed period costumes. Michael Eddy's normally impressive lighting was generally solid, though contained a few holes, most notable downstage during the second act outdoor sequence. David Temby and Ricky Tambor's sound design work well, as does Christy Walker-Gibson's properties.
Undoubtedly, through the run of the show, Ms. Ferracane's precise direction will fall into place. Most of the performers have it down, and the others should follow. If you're looking for an escape from escapist television, this is a worthy choice.
Production Details:
Charley's Aunt by Brandon
Thomas
The Scottsdale Community Players
Stagebrush Theatre, Scottsdale
(480) 990-7405
October 29th - November 14th, 1999