Need to repost several reviews that got bumped: Hi! Drama shared a link. Metropolitan Playhouse Home Page metropolitanplayhouse.org EVA HEINEMANN AND BARRY LEIBMANN REVIEW ROLLO’S WILD OAT Written by Clare Beecher Kummer Directed by Michael Hardart Clare Beecher Kummer’s Rollo’s Wild Oat takes place in 1920 and this is Rollo’s (Kevin Sebastian ) attempt to sow his wild oat which is to produce and star in Hamlet. He gets the help of Theatrical Manager Abie Stein (Mac Brydon) to bring his dream into fruition. Abie brings along his protégée Goldie (Erica Knight) who he’s always trying to cast. Rollo falls hard for Goldie. Meanwhile Rollo’s sister, Lydia (Alexis Hyatt) bored with the constraints of being a female blackmails him to act in his production where she falls for handsome leading man George(Timothy C. Goodwin). The rest of the troupe consists of: Whortly (Gary Lizardo),Thomas(David Licht) and Mrs. Park-Gales(Page Clements)who is now playing Gertrude but remembers wistfully when she was Orphelia. The rest of the characters from Hewston (Joe Joyce) the butler to the wealthy Grandfather (David Licht) of Lydia and Rollo have secret ambitions of their own. The only character who doesn’t is Aunt Lane (Wendy Merritt). Although it would seem to be a backstage farce and there are elements of that, it’s really both a family comedy and a romance. Eva considers this more of a satire and Barry thinks of this more as a relationship comedy. Barry feels the whole point is to not let anyone dissuade you from anything; just because you are being rejected you should still keep trying to achieve your dream or goal. He also likes the idea of not being forced into or out of anything. I agree with Barry that you should be allowed to live your own life without convention or family getting in the way. I felt the whole satirical point was the conventional want to be unconventional and the unconventional want to be conventional. Barry liked David Licht as the Grandfather who seemed like a Shavian character. Somebody who is controlling but he is not as terrible as you think he might be. We both admired Page Clements for managing to go on and do a great job with obvious Laryngitis. Kevin Sebastian and Alexis Hyatt made a sparkling brother and sister duo caught in 1920’s constraints. Mac Brydon had that sleazy charm of a Theatrical Manager. I could also see him as bookie in a Damon Runyon story. Timothy C. Goodwin was hilarious as the bombastic actor with an ego of gold. Joe Joyce was truly a gentleman as a gentleman’s gentleman. Wendy Merritt was very classy in her part. Erica Knight’s character was so wimpy and whiny here that it just showed what a great actress Erica Knight is when I think of her spunky Mary in Self. The Director (Michael Hardart) seamlessly brings all the dramatic and comic elements together on Alex Roe’s great set. It is always amazing what he does with that small space to create drawing rooms and stages. Sidney Fortner always finds the most becoming costumes for the actor’s under Christopher Weston’s perfect lighting. TWO HAPPY FACES CLOSES DECEMBER 20TH Metropolitan Playhouse The American Legacy 220 East Fourth Street 800-838-3006 Performances: Thursday-Saturday at 7:30PM Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 3PM Talkbacks on December 7th and 14th metropolitanplayhouse.org Additionally at Metropolitan Playhouse are: 1). The Iris String Quartet December 16th at 8:00 pm 2). Its A Wonderful Life the annual Act-along on Sun., Dec. 21st 2:30 - Libations 3:00 - Parts Selected and Reading Follows* *This is Barry and my favorite event all year
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 14:51:10 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015