Feast of Fools Theatre's A Thousand Clowns at The Viad Playhouse on the Park
(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 9/24/98
(out of )As they move into their second full season of producing shows, Feast of Fools Theatre is not easy to pin down, and that's probably the way that Producer/Director Michael J. Alessandro intends it to be. This company, which made waves with their stage adaptations of Quentin Tarantino movies, is also not above pulling out a solid-though-dated work, as they did last season with Simon's Barefoot in the Park, and with their current season opener, Herb Gardner's delicious anti-conformity comedy, A Thousand Clowns. The only thing that any of these productions has in common is the sense of guerilla theatre that Mr. Alessandro brings to his work. And, oddly enough, this rough edge is what helps in making this production of A Thousand Clowns so charming and enjoyable. And, despite some of Mr. Alessandro's frenetic pacing and movement, the fact that nearly everyone in the cast gives a dead-on performance also helps.
The show revolves around former-comedy-writer-turned-militant-non-conformist Murray Burns, and his genius, 12 year-old-turning-35 year-old nephew Nick. Murray has turned his one room apartment on 7th avenue into a bunker of oddities, curios and castaways. The clutter allows him to rant against the drones of the world, of which he was one until he decided that living was more than just breathing. While he takes every chance to experience, his nephew attempts to keep some semblance of order. Things go haywire, though, when the Child Safety Board begins motions to take Nick from this "unhealthy" environment. Murray must either swallow his pride and return to the work-a-day-death of writing for children's shows, or lose Nick to the system.
Portraying Murray and Nick are real-life father and son Kenny and Daniel Brodie. Kenny Brodie is very enjoyable as the rantingly eccentric Murray, and though some of his mannerisms begin to grow tedious through the evening, his head and heart are always in the right place. Even better is Daniel Brodie, who is a bit old to be playing 12, but whose similar mannerisms, though more in control, link his character to Murray in fascinating ways. The rapport between these two actors is at some points obvious, at others subtle, but always engaging.
Other impressive performances come from Mark Broadly as the uptight social worker Albert Admundson, whose precise, priggish ways and halting speech is just perfect for his not-very-likeable character, and from Michael J. Alessandro as the self-depricatingly obnoxious Leo Herman, or Chuckles the Chimpmunk, Murray's former and potentially current boss. Mr. Alessandro plays his over-the-top character as part Alan Brady from "The Dick Van Dyke Show," and part Crusty the Clown from "The Simpsons." The result is just what is needed to make the third act of the show worth waiting for.
Solid performances come from the rest of the cast; Monica McCue as the other social worker with an unfortunate streak of caring, Sandra, and Michael Hummel as Murray's successful brother, agent, and walking fruit stand, Leo. One of the pitfalls of Ms. McCue's character is her sense of being trapped in a mid '60s woman mindset, and there's little that she can do to avoid showing why this stereotype inspired the "you've come a long way, baby" slogan of the '70s. She is as believable as possible while being weepy and dependent. Mr. Hummel does a very good job with his part, impressively rising to the defense of the common man when called upon.
Mr. Alessandro's set design is also very impressive, a visual delight that becomes a silent cast member with its odd junk and other props. Daniel Brodie's lighting is very good for the difficult workspace of the Viad stage, and Felicia Fowler-Alexander's costumes are hit-and-miss, sometimes reflecting the early-to-mid '60s roots of this play, and at others creating a timelessness that is a bit disconcerting.
Following this run, Feast of Fools moves into their new space,
The Steel Door Theatre, located at 505 West Madison. To
show off their new location, they reach back into their repertoire
and revive Reservoir Dogs
from October 7th to the 11th, before mounting the equally enjoyable
Anthony Schaffer thriller, Sleuth, in late
October. Feast of Fools and Mr. Alessandro seem to be on the fast
track, and hopefully they can keep up this impossible schedule
and continue to bring cutting edge new works and fallen-from-favor
classics to the Valley.
Production Details:
A Thousand Clowns
by Herb Gardner
Feast of Fools Theatre at the Viad Playhouse on the Park, Phoenix
256-7898
September 11th-September 27th, 1998; 7:30 pm start time.