By KEN KLINGENMEIER
A Seat on the Aisle
Friday night brought a visit to Westfield Playhouse for Mrs. K and I to see the MSP season opener – John Patrick’s The Curious Savage, a play which opened on Broadway in 1950 – 72 years ago! The last time I saw the show, 11 years ago, I was convinced that it was so outdated, I wondered why anyone would be interested in producing it. Main Street’s production – a sensitive, funny, and pointed rendition of the old script, has changed that attitude.
Nancy Lafferty uses her fine directing skills with great effectiveness – leading her well-cast charges to find and define the relevance of the piece through the strong-willed Mrs. Savage and the sympathetic characters who reside at The Cloisters, a sanatorium for patients with mild psychiatric problems. The results are touching, informative and surprisingly relevant.
Tanya Haas stars as Ethel Savage, a woman whose departed husband has left her a great sum of money, which she hopes to channel to people all over the world who have a dream and no means to fulfill it. Ms. Haas brings life to the character in a steady portrayal, nuanced with humor, empathy and a new awareness. Ms. Haas has impressed us several times before, but I believe this may be the best I have seen from her talents.
A large supporting cast fills the stage with a wide range of quirky and delightful characterizations. The residents of The Cloisters are especially noteworthy: Jennifer Poynter as Florence, sharply sensitive as a woman suffering from the loss of a child; Thom Johnson, playfully engaging as Hannibal, the wishful violinist; Phoebe Aldridge, alternately exuberant and crestfallen as the needy Fairy May; Josh Rooks, suffering with self-assurance issues as the shot down pilot, Jeffrey; and Lisa Wagner, in a mostly silent role well played through her wide variety of expressions as the “I hate everything!” Mrs. Paddy.
The Cloisters’ group is in essence full of protagonists, showing kindness, patience and hopefulness in a comedy conveying the insane greed and deceit of the “normal” people of the world as compared to their institutionalized brethren. Those “normal” people are represented as Ethel’s family – her children Titus – a senator, Lily Belle – a serial divorcee, and Samuel – a judge. Steven Marsh, Jan Boercherding, and Ian A. Montgomery, respectively, all turn in lively high anxiety performances as their greediness is trumped by the wiles of their mother.
Rounding out the cast are Tom Riddle, in a very good performance as Dr. Emmett, and Rachel Pope in a sensitive portrayal as the doctor’s assistant – Miss Wilhelmina.
The entire cast and their director deserve kudos as this true ensemble piece is presented with a balanced set of portrayals where everyone shines evenly.
Also noteworthy are the costumes by Addie Taylor, which set the distinctions between the two cultures, and seemed true to the mid-century period. The set designed by Adam Davis works very well and the lighting by Eric Matters and sound by James H. Williams are perfectly tuned.
The performance I saw was remarkable, but not without a flaw that needs some attention. Vocal projection, the most essential form of communication with the audience, was lacking in various sections. At the beginning of the show especially, the actors used little energy to get rolling and it was only corrected, it seems, when a player with strong projection came on the scene and led the way out. I sat in the front row, and it seemed this was a concern several times in the show. It certainly is a correctable problem.
Bottom line: What a wonderfully admirable job is offered by every player in this show. I especially appreciate the nuanced balance of the portrayals. Also, the end piece, which is sometimes a bit too sappy as written, is put together as a true emotional tribute to the kindness and sensitivity of those hopeful souls at The Cloisters. Well done, indeed!
The Curious Savage continues at Basile Westfield Playhouse through Oct. 9. Ticket information is available by calling (3170 402-3341 or at westfieldplayhouse.org.
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