Little Theatre delivers classic farceBy Lorraine Lucciola, Standard-Times correspondent The Little Theatre of Fall
River provides a zany solution to the dilemma of three bedrooms, four
couples, in its winning production of Alan Ayckbourn's comedy, "Bedroom
Farce." Embellished by
Ray Berube's pointed direction and broad physical comedy by the actors,
the show is true to this typical "bedroom farce" script. The play
beautifully dashes to pieces the stereotypical reserve of the "veddy,
veddy" British.
Slamming doors, window drapes swishing back and forth, human forms
discovered under the covers or buried under a sea of coats -- all add up
to hilarious compromising situations. If a bedroom says a lot about
the marriage that rests there, the characters in this piece are true
extensions of their surroundings. Delia and Ernest are the older,
sophisticated duo of the piece. Their bedroom is tastefully done and neat
as a pin. Laura
Tavares Bomback plays Delia. She is a composed, languid beauty who rarely
lets herself go. Mrs. Bomback's portrayal is focused. She stays
consistently serious and proper in striking contrast to her husband,
Ernest, artfully played by Jerry Goldberg. They are comfortable and funny
together. Mr.
Goldberg's strong suit is most definitely comedy, whether expressed
through a shrug of the shoulder or a shaking arm or hand. He seems to
literally bounce across the stage. We like Ernest and willingly follow
wherever he leads us.
Mr. Berube enjoys using sight gags that come from visually incompatible
situations. He has taken Kate (played by Suzie Gardiner, who is barely
five feet tall), and paired her with Stephen Oliveira, who is easily over
six feet. Her petite stature allows her to flit from place to place very
quickly. Mr. Oliveira literally barrels about the set in frantic
exasperation. Their
bedroom is unkempt, almost a little shabby, but it sits directly at center
stage and welcomes all the action that is played there. Ms. Gardiner can bring the
house down with one look of panic or confusion. Mr. Oliveira makes his
stage debut in this Little Theatre production and handles his character's
frustration and silliness with ease. Nick and Jan can be described
as the "trendy" couple. Frank Noble is wonderful as the ailing Nick.
Anyone who has ever suffered with a bad back will actually howl with
laughter at his antics. Nick wants attention from his wife, Jan,
(Shelly Mason), as she is on her way to Kate and Malcolm's party. His back
refuses to let him find a comfortable position. What ensues is a bit of
very funny (and very true) physical business that keeps us giggling and
begging for more. Mr.
Noble has perfected his invalid mode, so that any movement is bigger than
life. He flops around, whines and groans, looking for that perfect spot.
Ms. Masson adds spice
to Mr. Noble's feigned pain in a scene where she shoves him around the
bed, hoping to make him more comfortable. He ends up looking like a human
envelope -- straightened, pulled, folded, and finally covered and tuckered
out. Susannah and
Trevor are newly-married and troubled. The fun starts when they can't stay
troubled in their own house -- or bedroom, which we never see -- but take
their marriage on the road to the bedrooms of relatives and friends.
You never know where
they will turn up. Jeff Belanger, as Trevor, brings pure and honest comedy
to the stage each time he performs. Creating or reacting to emotional
pandemonium, however, is his forte. Newcomer Christine Mills is
poised and natural in the role of Susannah. When we first meet her she is
talking herself into a state of self-confidence. And when she pounces on
Ms. Gardiner in this animated monologue, peals of laughter follow.
Farce is, by
definition, an exaggeration of circumstance, a mockery, a fiasco. The
Little Theatre of Fall River certainly rises to the task in "Bedroom
Farce." The production takes plain and simple relationships or confused
and complicated ones to a purely delightful level where zany comedy is the
common denominator.
The Little Theatre of Fall River will present "Bedroom Farce" this evening
at 8 p.m. and tomorrow afternoon at 2 at the Margaret L. Jackson Arts
Center at Bristol Community College, 777 Elsbree St., Fall River. Tickets
are $12 for the general public, $8 for senior citizens and $5 for children
12 and under. For reservations and information call (508) 675-1852.
Tickets may also be purchased at the door.
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