Latest Footlighters Mystery Play is 'Unexpected'

By Darcie Flansburg
Real Critics Editor/Publisher

It is always enjoyable seeing an Agatha Christie play at the Redlands Footlighters Theatre. Not only are the plays well executed, but it is also amusing to hear the audience hum with suspicions and conjectures as the plot continues to twist and turn.
As would be expected of an Agatha Christie play, "The Unexpected Guest" is, well, unexpected. When Michael Starkwedder (played by Sean Green) has an accident with his car he walks into a house in search of a phone and instead finds a dead man. But Richard Warwick (played dead by Robert Spleen) was not the most noble gentleman during his life, which means that every family member, servant and recent visitor in his mansion has a motive for his murder.
Agatha Christie plays tend to have a great deal of front-loaded exposition. This means that right after the body is discovered at the beginning of the story two or more characters spend a good 10 minutes or so explaining a very complicated back-story in which every character is a suspect.
Amanda Vroom physically fit the part of the lovely Laura Warwick, wife to the late Richard, but her performance was a bit monotone especially during the exposition of the play, which killed the pace early on. She definitely portrayed the part of distraught wife well, but she showed no passion toward her lover nor did she reciprocate the flirtation from Starkwedder. Her performance exuded an emotional chorus consisting of one note.
Sean Green was very suave as the unexpected guest Michael Starkwedder. Though his British accent was faulty and his passion for Laura was unrequited, Green did a good job of being the dark horse who drove the action of the play.
Grant Markin was perfect as the poetic Sergeant Cadwallader. His accent was on point and his quirky qualities were well timed and well executed.
Ian McLean played the mentally challenged Jan Warwick with great authenticity. His character elicited love and compassion from the audience and later dire concern.
Sally Norton was excellent as Mrs. Warwick. Her stage presence reminded me of recent films of Queen Elizabeth; She was strong yet gentle, loving yet sensible. 
Thomik Deverien was very natural (and creepy) as the head servant Henry Angell. Deverien was ever present in his portrayal of Angell and moved with purpose; he portrayed a very proud and confident man despite his station.
The ensemble, as a whole, was strong, and well lead by new Footlighters Director Christopher Diehl. Despite the slow going exposition at the start of the play, the ensemble kept up the pace through the end of the show, which, of course, entails an ending that is entirely unexpected.
The cast also included Paige Polcene as Miss Bennett, Todd Paul Brown as Inspector Thomas, and Mike Barbin as Julian Farrar.
Set Designer Phillip Gabriel created a great ambiance with the set. The single room emanates grand luxury, alluding to the magnificence of the rest of the unseen mansion.
The Redlands Footlighters Theatre always produces well executed mystery plays and "The Unexpected Guest" is no exception.

"The Unexpected Guest" runs through May 30 at the Redlands Footlighters Theatre. Visit www.redlandsfootlighters.org for details.

'Celadine' is a Delight

By Vanessa Downs
For the Real Critics Blog

Nestled in the new performance space for the 3 Theater Group, I waited in anticipation for the performance of “Celadine,” a show I knew very little about. Nevertheless, I was more than pleasantly surprised with what unfolded before my eyes during the course of the next two hours.
Let me start off by saying that the 3 Theater Group’s new performance space is like a hidden treasure for theater goers, found within the Mission Galleria Antique shop. Dazzled by the various antiques and bits of history on the first floor of the shop, I was grateful for the signs that directed me upstairs to the theater.  Upon reaching the appropriate floor, I passed through the red curtains into the new theater. The space is still very much a work in progress, but all the necessary pieces are present.  The set was a very well done representation of the 17^th century coffee house it was supposed to be. Haibo Yu was the Scenic Designer for the show, and the attention to detail was incredible. On either side of the stage were depictions of the city, letting audience members know that this particular show took place in the heart of a big city. Sarah Jacques is also to be commended for painstakingly creating the faux wood finish that decorated the floor of the performing space. Also of note is the work David St. Pierre put into the lighting design of both the theater and the show itself. Various color notes outside the coffeehouse window were clear indicators of the time of day and helped to set the mood of the show.
The show itself is about the intertwining lives of Celadine (Alisa Ann Lovas), a playwright; her closest friend Mary (Rhiannon Cowles), a reformed prostitute; and the King of England (Paul Jacques), a man moonlighting as Rowley.  Within this triangle, comes the recent introduction of Jeffrey (Winston Peacock), a mute; and Elliot (Majd Murad), an actor and spy. 

Celadine has not written a play for quite some time and is struggling to come to terms with the horrific death of her daughter. The coffeehouse she operates with Mary is struggling for money, adding to the sorrow that lays beneath the surface of the play.
The play begins with Mary sleepily descending the stairs in order to answer the door.  Cowles commands the stage with her portrayal of Mary. Her stance and facial expressions were spot on for a woman who had not been afforded the opportunities of the upper class, allowing the audience to become completely immersed in the moment, believing that, yes, we were peeping in on a real London coffeehouse. Shortly after Mary has woken up, Celadine returns home after a long night, riding her horse. Much to my surprise and delight, Celadine’s horse was actually Jeffery.  Peacock did incredibly well as a boyish mute, conveying the feelings of his character through actions alone. Jeffery and Celadine’s turn about the stage was the first indicator of the easy humor that was to run throughout the course of the show.
“Celadine” is part of a trilogy of plays written by Charles Evered, a new and talented playwright . Celadine, in an effort to be at peace with the death of her daughter, the illegitimate child of the king, asks that Rowley (The King) to claim that the daughter is his by giving her the royal last name. Rowley will only do this if Celadine will perform a duty for him: deliver a notebook and observe the man who takes it. Meanwhile, Celadine has met a new actor, Elliot, who is encouraging her to begin writing again. Celadine writes the story of her daughter and her tragic death, allowing audiences to discover just what happened all those years ago. During her writing process, Celadine begins to have feelings for Elliot, however, shortly after it is discovered that Elliot is the Dutch spy plotting to kill the king. All of the tension comes to a head during the fight scene at the end of the play. Elliot is apprehended, Celadine is at peace with the death of her daughter, and the king lives to see another day.
Though the play was full of humor, there was a depth and sadness to it that is not often seen onstage. Lovas was perfect for the part of Celadine. From the moment she enters the stage all eyes are on her. She is a superb actor, at her best during the parts of the show where she is remembering her daughter.  Thinking back on the show, the point that stands out to me the most is Lovas' voice; Clear, deep, and womanly, like ice cold water on a hot day. With her voice alone Lovas owned the character of Celadine, making her unforgettable. 
Lovas and Murad (Elliot) were perfectly cast together as the lovers. There was a palpable chemistry between the two that made the affection they had for each other believable, never stopping the audience from becoming fully submerged within the play. Jacques did well as Rowley, deftly conveying the passion and regal nature of a king.
Overall, the show was a delight and one that deserves the highest commendation.

'Nude' Exposes More Than a Lack of Objectivity

By Darcie Flansburg
The Real Critics Editor/Publisher

Playwright Laura Shamas endeavored to answer some thought-provoking questions about artistic expression versus political correctness in her 1995 play "Portrait of a Nude."
The play traces issues of censorship, political correctness and aesthetics surrounding Francisco Goya's 1798 painting "Naked Maja." As Shamas put it, the play follows "the history of response to Francisco Goya's masterpiece 'Naked Maja' from the time of its inception in 1798 in Spain to the recent sexual harassment case surrounding it in 1991 at an American university."
All of the events in the play are based on real events, which leads Shamas to ask "is our response to art really based on the work itself, or on the 'politically correct' values of our times?"
Shamas believes our response to art is subjective, which is why the "Naked Maja" caused such tension between artistic expression and social propriety, as one critic put it.
Riverside Community Player's production of "Portrait of a Nude" presented Shamas' vision with great ardor. Director Kathryn L. Gage cast a strong group of actors that were able to portray everything from Goya to Princess Diana to schoolboys and clerks, all using a variety of accents to accomplish their many roles.
Mel Chadwick played Goya, the writer Zola, a museum guard and Dean of a university. Chadwick is a regular at the Redlands Footlighters theatre and is best known for his comedic ability on stage, but in "Portrait" Chadwick showed a comedic lightheartedness as Goya, a political passion as Zola and then transpired into a genuine realness in his other roles.
Phillip Gabriel is a master of accents and comedic timing. His portrayal of the Spanish inquisitor was harsh and demeaning while his portrayal of the painter Manet was capricious and yet full of conviction. Gabriel showed his campy side as the schoolboy and brought out his inner frat boy as one of the university students.
Kevin Bray was equally harsh and demeaning as the other Spanish inquisitor, but he was able to show his passionate side as poet Baudelaire and as the Spanish Official. Sue Bray was perfectly seductive as Maria, the subject of Goya's painting, and also showed an earnestness as Princess Diana and a vehement passion as the university campus Affirmative Action representative. And Rory Dyer rounded out the cast as the good intentioned university professor as well as the salacious Victorine, the subject of Manet's painting, influenced by Goya.
Though some of the accents could have been stronger, the ensemble presented a range of talent in a variety of roles that really showed all of their stage ability.
The show included projections of the paintings and pictures of the places being referenced in the play, during the minimal set changes. And Technical Director Tom Hurst and Costume Coordinators Rory and Ted Dyer provided a smooth and aesthetic presentation of the many settings.
The production exhibited pure professionalism; from the acting to the direction to the tech, the show was captivating and well executed. I was engaged, entertained and enlightened by this production; a truly magnificent work of art.

"Portrait of a Nude," runs through May 30. Visit www.riversidecommunityplayers.com for details.

'Shining in the Shadow of Hype'

By Gabriel Morales
For the Real Critic’s Blog

In a bold move of choosing a beloved, hyper-celebrated show that starkly contrasts their usual conservative, family-friendly fare, Temecula Valley Players presents what is easily their best-sung, most well-produced show in recent memory, Jonathan Larson’s “RENT.”
With great success, TVP mainstay J. Scott Lapp (Director), original touring creative team member Evan D’Angeles (Associate Director/Choreographer) and Brian Hammond (Musical Director) molded a wonderfully-casted ensemble of beautiful voices into a chorus that would make any uber-fan proud. According to a TVP insider, great care was taken to replicate every aspect of the original, legendary production. From the look/type of each character and the gorgeous set, down to the dynamic lighting design and each costume piece -- this local show is a bright reflection of its Broadway namesake. Granted, but imperfect nonetheless.
With this, as most great artworks, one must look beyond its overall beauty to find the flaws, should one feel so inclined -- and this being a musical, with the actors having to live up to the triple-threat expectation, there are several ways one can nitpick. The spectacle of a large cast and great choreography, which this show has in abundance, can be overwhelming; thus, when an actor’s alone, the missteps are harder to hide. If strutting around in eight-inch stripper heels is a battle, dancing and jumping on and off tables is a war. Who couldn’t forgive a bit of wobbling? Holding a note, even many notes, while gyrating and twisting around poles is difficult; doing that fifteen feet in the air above a metal staircase, more so. Who wouldn’t show a bit of trepidation?
Height and lucite considered, even complex melodies notwithstanding, truthful acting is always the hardest of the triune threat to accomplish. Apropos, a noticeable shortcoming shared by most of the ensemble was what to do with their hands. The default response to this confusion, it seemed, was overuse. Anchored to haphazardly flailing arms, claw-shaped digits jerked and grasped ad naseum for invisible objects: perhaps gravitas, the truth of the moment, or the pathos absent in their characterizations.
At times, the story’s seriousness may have called for silent, soulful brooding; but as it is with the majority of young Hollywood stars, that objective is missed, clinched jaws and blank stares given in its stead. The few spoken lines, especially at the show’s emotional climax -- where a good ear and pipes, the original star’s recordings, nor vocal coach could render aid -- those moments, proved themselves the pierced heels of an otherwise impressive body of demigods.
But again, that’s just nitpicking what is without question an superbly crafted, enormously entertaining show. A work of art. An Inland vase as it were, unfortunately chipped by hapless movements and lack of focus.

'Rent' continues through May 23 at the Old Town Temecula Community Theatre. Visit www.temeculavalleyplayers.com for details.