The Chairs, a fond adieu

Deborah Strang / Geoff Elliott Photo by Craig Schawartz

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under Heaven. A time to be born and a time to die…” So says the Book of Ecclesiastes or The Byrds, depending on your personal experience. The correlation of how things change is reflected in the anticipation of the brand new Pasadena space currently under construction for A Noise Within: ‘a time to be born’ and the death of a theatre tradition in Glendale. The third production in this final season in Glendale for A Noise Within features long time favorites, ANW founder Geoff Elliott as Old Man and Deborah Strang as Old Woman directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. Written by Eugene Ionesco, and first produced in 1952 the play challenges the audience to discover the meaning of the story rather than simply absorbing it as we often do when attending the theatre.

Stephen W. Gifford’s rag tag peeling post-apocalyptic set borders off stage water. The Old Man hangs out the window because he likes to look at the water. A hand written sign barely visible on a chalkboard requires, “No Diving!” Indeed within the first few minutes of the play, Old Man practically violates the rule by half tumbling out the window. He is, of course, General Factotum, my darling and could have been the best of practically any important post had he only really wanted to. If he had taken some initiative, as Old Woman points out continually to her ‘darling’ he could have been anything.

Whether or not Old Man and Old Woman are indeed really a couple married for over seventy years or if they are actors simply playing at the end of the world may be an interpretation to be considered. They know each other so well (as do Elliott and Strang) and mutually subscribe to the absurd notion that they may be the last two people on earth. Or are they? They anticipate a multitude of visitors from every social station and are especially excited about the arrival of THE EMPORER for whom they prepare a virtual throne. Invisible characters arrive, brought to life by the Old Couple’s mutual acknowledgement as they prepare for The Orator (Andy Stokan) who has been employed to impart to not only the assembled throng, but the audience, as well, what may be the Meaning of Life! These are actually the Old Man’s insights, but he’s not so good at speaking, as he eloquently admits time and again.

Interesting, though inexplicable, Ken Booth’s lighting changes from time to time, climaxing with a flurry of pinwheels spinning madly, sound and fury, as more and more and more chairs and more visitors arrive until the stage is completely filled with chairs and invisible guests. At last, The Orator arrives in a grand manner. Welcomed by the Old Couple, he takes stage with authority.

The issue of who Old Man and Old Woman really are is never completely clear, probably Ionesco’s intention. We love their banter as they lovingly function smoothly and flawlessly as one. Elliott and Strang have worked together for almost twenty years. The simpatico is obvious. In an interview elsewhere, Elliott mentioned that being relieved of his often role as director of a show, simply acting in the hands of his capable wife, Julia, was a pleasure. Indeed, his focus and choices, perfectly compliment Strang’s, whose comedic versatility shines. Rodriguez-Elliott’s direction is crisp. With well seasoned actors in hand, the show simply works. What a pleasure. What fun the actors are having. And this, my darling is infectious to the audience.

As ANW departs Glendale to open this coming fall in Pasadena, it should be mentioned that the non-profit company is still slightly short of it’s $12Million fund raising goal. Contributions for this final push will be matched dollar for dollar by an Angel in Pasadena. Contact ANW for details and contribute as you may. This is regional theatre at its finest.


Eugene Ionesco’s The Chairs
Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott

Opened April 9; plays in repertory with
Comedy of Errors and The Eccentricities of A Nightingale
Wed.-Fri., 8 pm; Sat., 2 and 8 pm; Sun., 2 and 7 pm; through May 21.

A Noise Within
234 S. Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91203

Single tickets: $42-$46 (discount prices for seniors, students and groups).
818.240.0910, ext. 1
www.anoisewithin.org

A COMEDY OF ERRORS!!

(l-r) Gwenmarie White (Ensemble), Lauren Robyn (Courtesan), Christine Breihan (Ensemble) Photo Credit: Craig Schwartz

Madcap!!!

That’s what my friend, Jeannie, called it: William Shakespeare’s A Comedy of Errors now playing at A Noise Within. It’s always nice to have company when reviewing a show. Of course, I’d have said zany or outta sight or whacko… and eventually “madcap” would probably have popped up. Heck, it doesn’t take PhD to grab the ideal word right out of the air and have it fit just perfectly. But “Madcap” is just about perfect!

“Burlesque on Brand,” the ANW tribute to Shakespeare’s nutty comedy of mistaken identity, may be a sly tip of the hat to what the City of Glendale is really interested in: The nearby Americana’s glitzy faux-Disney kitch. After a short honky tonk piano serenade by David Bickford on the upright, who also provides sound effects (the “chain” being the most fun!) we literally meet the cast. Director Michael Michetti’s wonderfully mounted burlesque (the show is presented as a play within a play), introduces the actors individually as members of the Burley Q: the cast of the play. Ostrich plume fans deftly wielded by chorine cuties set the scene. Angela Balogh Calin’s costumes rock.

Reading the synopsis of A Comedy of Errors will do its best to just confuse. So, the thing to do is to simply follow the silly romp and once you ‘get it’ that the twins Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus, both and each played effectively by Bruce Turk (sons of Egeon, the well seasoned Michael Stone Forrest) are twins separated shortly after birth as explained in a terrific silent movie. The slaves: Dromio of Syracuse and Dromio of Ephesus are both played by Jerry Kernion, who, for a big guy takes some major pratfalls and takes them beautifully. Egeon, the Antipholuses delinquent father, is sentenced to death by the Duke (Ever eloquent Mr. William Dennis Hunt founder of The Company Theatre of Los Angeles) for crossing the border into Ephesus illegally! Evidently, they were tougher on immigration than even the folks in Arizona are today! Egeon narrates the silent film that explains his journey and desire to find his long lost twins. He has only hours to prove himself to the Duke. The hours are marked on set designer Kurt Boetcher’s cheesey clock that hangs over the doorway of the home of Adriana and Antipholus of Ephesus. A Laugh In window above opens for some additional fun.

You can’t tell the players without a program and even then, you may find yourself referring back time after time to try to figure out who’s who. It really doesn’t matter though because the slapstick routines and The Bard’s couplets (along with a few contemporary references tossed in for good measure) round out the fast paced show. Vampy Adriana (gorgeous Abby Craden), married to the successful Antipholus of Ephesus is jealous and suspicious (rightly so!) of her spouse. Equally beautiful Luciana (Annie Abrams) plays her sister who is vamped by the other Antipholus (her brother-in-law’s twin!) After a dozen mix ups, each one funnier than the last including some missing money, a rope and a golden chain (bling!), the boys of Ephesus are given sanctuary in the Abby of Syracuse and guarded by angelic nuns (made up of some of the ensemble: Andy Stokan, Christine Breihan, Douglas Rory Milliron, Gwenmarie White and Sara-Lucy Hill?). About the middle of the first act I lost track of a couple of the characters. The actors are all are notable and mentioning the great ensemble work of the entire cast is a must. Paul D. Masterson as Balthasar and the 2nd Merchant.. (was he the ventriloquist?); P.J. Ochlan as Angelo/Doctor Pinch; Rene Ruiz as First Merchant and Lauren Robyn doing her best Judy Holliday impression as the Courtesan are all so much fun.

The Duke orders that the Abbess be summoned and the cry “Heyyyyy Abbessssss!” time travels a couple of decades from the twenties to the forties and briefly stops the show with the Abbott and Costello reference. Dragalicious Gibby Brand plays The Abbess as well as the randy Nell whose cap is set for one of the Dromios (oh wherefore art thou, Dromio?)

The eventual problem, of course, is how to present the final scene to reunite the twins of Syracuse and the twins of Ephesus all at the same time. Needless to say that in ANW’s Burlesque on Brand, this is not a problem. Twins are reunited, families reconciled and all’s well that ends well. Applause!

A Noise Within takes the company off to Pasadena in the fall of 2011 (they are still about a million bucks shy of their entire budget, but ground is broken and construction has begun.) A fund raising campaign is on to sign folks up for the “50/50 Coffee Club” ($50 a month for 50 months which will fulfill a matching donation) which will garner each donor free coffee at the theater for life! Coffee anyone?

A Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare
Plays in repertory with Eccentricities of a Nightingale and The Chairs
Wednesdays through Sundays

A Noise Within
234 South Brand Boulevard
Glendale, CA 91204
P: 818.240.0910
F: 818.240.0826
http://anoisewithin.org
$46 Top

The Adventures of Pinocchio / Deaf West

The current Deaf West production of Carlo Collodi’s classic is neither fish nor fowl. Director Stephen Rothman and the talented members of Deaf West Theatre Company, renowned for such presentations as Big River and A Streetcar Named Desire, have ventured into the land of children’s tales with mixed results. Admirably, deaf and hard of hearing actors present the story with one actor playing and signing the physical character and a hearing/speaking actor presenting the character’s voice. Signing Pinocchio, played by Amber Zion, is in a colorful costume while Pinocchio’s voice (Darrin Revitz) is in an almost identical costume in subdued colors. Not all the actors are doubled in this way. Some sign and also speak. Some sign as another actor speaks. Over all, the device pretty much works.

Walt Disney’s 1940 animated movie has indoctrinated many generations of us with a somewhat homogenized version of Collodi’s original story. The dark side is present in Deaf West's version from the outset. After being created from a rather imaginative tree branch, the puppet is just about as naughty as a kid can be. When Talking Cricket (Vae, who doubles as other characters as well) bounces in to tell Pinocchio that he needs to get an education and be respectful of Geppetto (Matt Henerson), the puppet chases her out the door and kills her with a big old mallet! In Act II the Ghost of the Cricket comes back to give more advice and gets the boot again.

Announced as a Commedia dell’Arte version of the story, I found traditional archetypes from Commedia lacking. Certainly, Puppetmaster (Henerson), the owner of the Magical Puppet Theatre is bombastic enough to be a Pantelone and Pinocchio himself a trickster like Harlequino. However, Commedia is an art form that calls for specific gestures and postures. In the entire production there was only one attempt (by The Puppetmaster) at a lazzi: a broad set theatrical piece that defines and expands the character.

It may be a trifle unfair to expect a full on Commedia presentation, but this is the issue of what this show really wants to be. The actors are all on the same page, in the same production, so to speak and some particularly outstanding. To benefit the deaf audience, the music (by Joe Cerqua) is wonderfully cranked with heavy bass that literally vibrates the entire audience. The issue, for me, is that this story is slightly lightweight for an adult audience and may be too heavy for kids.

Some outstanding performances may be worth the effort to go to see this show. My favorite was THE RABBIT OF DEATH (James Royce Edwards, also multicast) who rabidly explodes onto the stage in the second act, after a couple of bad guys (Lexi Marman and Vae) have literally hanged the puppet from a tree, effectively almost killing him. The Blue Fairy (also dead / also Lexi Marman) is wonderful. She wants him to take his medicine and the puppet refuses until menaced by the RoD!

Sets by Evan Bartoletti are flexible. James L. Moody‘s lights work very well. Show glides smoothly through many scenes. Shadow and lighting effects are professional.

As a fan of this company and appreciative of the hard work they have produced for twenty years, I want to applaud their effort, but would have liked to see the production presented either more in a classic Commedia style, and even darker. Or, even lighter if intended for a younger audience.
The Adventures of Pinocchio
Adapted from Carlo Collodi’s story by Lee Hall
Deaf West Theatre
5112 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

Runs Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
through March 27, 2011

For tickets and information:
www.deafwest.org
Voice: 818 762 2773
Video Phone: 866 954 2986
$25 Top

NOISES OFF REDUX

For a very limited time audiences will have an opportunity to see ensemble work that shines. A Noise Within revives their own production of Michael Fryan’s Noises Off!
(Stephen Rockwell as Frederick Fellowes as Philip Brent.
Photo by Craig Schwartz)
Noises Off! is an inside look at the workings of a theatrical road company, all drawn together under the aegis of actress / producer Miss Dotty Otley starring as the maid, Mrs. Clackett. (Dotty/Clackett played by the ever energetic ANW mainstay Deborah Strang). Nothing’s On!!!s director, (Geoff Elliott as Lloyd Dallas), is one of those guys who is busy, busy, busy with more than one project at a time, as well as romancing more than one company member at the same time. The first act of Nothing On!!! is in rehearsal at rise. It’s the dress rehearsal, though some actors think it’s the tech as we continue to stop and start with interjections from Dallas. They have only a few hours before opening and then heading out onto the road with their fishy comedy. It’s about sardines! Sort of.

Excellent production values and solid performances combine to make for an evening of fun that will be very meaningful to anyone who has ever been in a play. Garry Lejeune (Mikael Salazar) squires the delicious Brooke Ashton (very sterotypically blonde Abby Craden) into the home of the well to do Philip and Flavia Brent (Stephen Rockwell and Jill Hill) for a quick tryst.

At this point all I can do is praise the rest of the cast and Geoff and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott’s fine tuned direction. Lenne Klingaman’s Poppy the Assistant Stage Manager is delicate and true. Shaun Anthony’s Stage Manager Tim Allgood keeps the pace moving.. and Apollo Dukakis as doughty old Selsdon Mowbray as The Burglar is just wonderful.

One has to keep referring back and forth from the program for the play within the play (Nothing On!!! in Noises Off) to keep the names straight. However, as the mayhem builds, it really doesn’t matter and keeping track of the actual plot becomes inconsequential to the fun and watching the three ring circus of events; missed cues and attempted murder evolve.

A final note to the benefit of A Noise Within’s dedication to excellence is Adam Lillibridge’s amazing set (which the audience must stay through the intermissions to watch the Run Crew: Lillibridge, Bernice Mendez, Katie Elsaesser, Dough Milliron, Stefanie Demetriades and Karla Menjivar transform like clockwork. Twice!

Soojin Lee’s costumes are perfect.

It’s just a fun show.

Playing now through January 30, 2011 ONLY
Fridays at 8PM
Saturdays at 2PM and 8PM
Sundays at 2PM and 7PM
A Noise Within
234 Brand Blvd.
Glendale, Ca 91204
$46 top
call theatre for group rates and discounts
240-0910 x1
Visit www.ANoiseWithin.org

New Season begins with Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams and Ionesco the end of February, 2011.

Noises Off Redux!

The beauty of this forum is that it is... simply.. my personal take on art and theatre in Los Angeles. I have seen four thrilling shows in my life that have made me so happy to be a part of the world of theatre. The Emergence at The Company Theatre on Robertson, Bill Irwin's Regard of Flight at the Pilgrimage (Taper, Too), Henry V at Stratford Upon Avon with Ian Holm and A Noise Within's NOISES OFF.

It's a thrill when a theatre company comes together and works as a finely tuned machine, when performances and book rise to an inspired plain.. that's what art is supposed to do: Inspire Us. That's what ANW's NOISES OFF has done for me.

The show is back for a limited run at the old Masonic Lodge on the corner of Colorado and Brand in Glendale, starting on Friday, January 21st. This link should help you find tickets. It's a short revival. Don't miss it!

http://www.anoisewithin.org/

sheehan