| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| marcogrouch |
Posted - 11 Mar 2015 : 10:11:04 AM
In 1897, the French actress, Sarah Bernhardt, offered the use of her theatre to her rival, the Italian actress, Eleonora Duse (pronounced DOO-zay), for her Paris debut of The Lady of the Camellias (inexplicably called Camille in America) by Alexander Dumas, fils. Duse, of course, would play the leading role of Marguerite Gautier, a part for which Bernhardt was already famous. And, it should be noted that Bernhardt's flamboyant style and personality greatly contrasted with the more subtle and serious Duse.
In Playhouse 22's upcoming production of The Ladies of the Camellias by Lillian Garrett-Groag, the afternoon before Duse's performance is given a fanciful, farcical, fictional treatment. And the imagined conversations, antics and situations enacted are both quirky and hilarious, as one would expect in a play where much of the humor arises from the lampooning of the types and stereotypes of theatre folk.
In the course of the play Bernhardt and Duse engage in subtle verbal skirmishes; the French and Italian companies' leading men, Gustave-Hippolyte Worms (a name that becomes a running gag) and Flavio And�, discuss the tribulations of playing opposite their respective divas; Alexander Dumas tries in vain to convince the ladies to portray Marguerite as he has written her; and everyone is forced to deal with the ravings of a zealous, armed Russian with an agenda of his own. Also, variously intrinsic to the plot are: Bernhardt's pet cheetah (she actually toured with a menagerie of exotic wild animals, including a cheetah), Cyrano de Bergerac and his nose, a couple of snakes, vulture feathers, the invention of the theatrical director, a number of Shakespearean quotes, and a pouf.
The show is directed by Gregory Newton, produced by Mark Kalet, stage managed by Ray Kelton and costumed by Annmarie Matseur. And our cast: Ashley Widmer, Pete Matseur, Barry Leonard, Deby Brandt, Elena Marie Chalcraft, Joe Zedeny, Mike Levine, Joel Lotito and Rupert Ravens.
Performances are Fridays, Saturdays (at 8 pm) and Sundays (at 3 pm) from March 13 to 22, 2015. Playhouse 22 is located at 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, NJ, at the northeast corner of Cranbury Road and Dunhams Corner Road (with entrances off both roads). Visit https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=pla22l to purchase tickets online. Or phone 732-254-3939 to make a reservation.
All tickets are $15. That means you'll likely be entertained at the bargain price of around 10 cents per laugh! NOTE: Actual cost per laugh is not guaranteed. Your experience may differ from the average due to individual variations in sense of humor. Also, some knowledge of theatre minutia (Did someone just say, "MacB...?"), while not required, may enhance appreciation of a few of the jokes. I should also mention that this show is part of Playhouse 22's "On The Edge" series, in which lesser known, less often produced plays of quality are given a well-deserved chance to be seen. So, consider attending a performance of this unusual, comic gem before it becomes just a memory. |
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