Reviews
Kind Sir (2011)
ACT INC mounts breezy comedy
“Kind Sir”
Years ago, when
being onstage routinely involved beautiful evening clothes that a
well-dressed audience could admire, Norman Krasna was an important American
playwright, creator of characters who filled the stylish bill.
The audience at ACT
INC may not bear much sartorial resemblance to the first-night crowd of
Krasna's heyday; customs have changed, after all. But the actors in its
production of Krasna's "Kind Sir" fill the bill in both their
costumes and their breezy comedy style.
More famous now in
its movie version, "Indiscreet," "Kind Sir" centers on
a famous stage actress, Jane Kimball (Kirsten Wylder, alluring in a
black-and-gold evening ensemble and a host of other '50s-era fashions).
Eyes wide open, she falls for a suave, wealthy married man (Jim Fuchs, who,
like most men, looks great in white tie). But he isn't really married; it's
a line he came up with to ensure that he never will be. Things go haywire
when she learns the truth just as he realizes he needs to extricate himself
from the story because this time, he really is in love.
Directed by Jane
Sullivan, the show takes a good 25 minutes to warm up. Once it does,
though, the dialogue proves witty and the characters fun to spend time
with.
Wylder, droll and
sophisticated, makes an appealing romantic heroine, while Fuchs manages to
free his role from the grip of his predecessors (no less than Charles Boyer
on Broadway and Cary Grant on the screen) to create a likable, albeit
misguided, charmer.
They get strong
comedic support from two other couples. Carmen and Jesse Russell, married
in real life, deliver loads of broad humor as Jane's servants; Jesse
Russell, a very big man, is at one point obliged to crawl under a piano, a
sight theatergoers may turn to in memory if ever they need a good laugh.
Eleanor Mullin and
David Gibbs, always good on stage together, add more laughter as Jane's
protective sister and brother-in-law. Mullin (elegant in a copper evening
suit complemented with a "yellow sapphire" parure) delivers the
line of the evening: "Remember Mama!" She makes her sound as
formidable as the Maine.
The show is a
treat to look at, thanks to Emily Robinson's costumes and the luxurious
set, designed by Tim Poertner and lit by Michael Sullivan. With a change of
furnishings, it's also the set for ACT INC's other play about actors,
"The Royal Family." The shows alternate.
Judy Newmark, St. Louis
Post-Dispatch
June 9, 2011
“Kind Sir” Crackles with Sophistication
There was no
greater decade in American Theater than the 1950's, at least when it came
to that woefully expired genre, the Sophisticated Comedy.
In those
by-gone days, the term "adult situations" meant that adults would
appreciate and understand the dilemmas posed in the plot, not that blatant,
mindless pornography and rough language would abound; and "witty
dialogue" meant just that...entertaining and literate words that were
given life by entertaining, well-defined characters.
Those
characters were always dressed to the nines. There was lots of good natured
drinking, people punctuated their sentences by waving cigarettes, and
though the plots were formulaic (boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets
girl) it was the easy sophistication and style of the play as a whole that
was the draw.
Kind Sir,
written in 1953 by Norman Krasna,
is a near - perfect example of the genre and a breath of fresh air in this
modern world of stiflingly trite dialogue and deliberately oblique
plotting. Kind Sir crackles
with humor and wit; with lovely ladies in evening gowns, gentlemen in
tuxedos and tails, the tinkle of ice against crystal and the hint of jolly
naughty deeds performed just out of sight and ear shot.
Beautiful,
mature, Kirsten Wylder is Jane Kimball, a famous Broadway actress who can't
seem to find a man who keeps her interest for more than a few months. She's
at an age where she wants to entertain thoughts of settling down, but her
life is wonderfully satisfying as is, so any man changing her status quo
would have to be exceptional.
Along comes
Phillip Clair played by Jim Fuchs. Phillip is a master of foreign currency
and economics. He's being courted by the State Department to join them in
whatever it is the State Department does. He's handsome, charming,
attentive and, he tells her, married. If the plot of Kind Sir sounds familiar, that's
because it was made into the 1958 movie Indiscreet
starring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman
Kirsten
Wylder is a marvel as Jane. Slight and graceful, she wears the 50's
costumes beautifully and boy, the girl can act! Her voice is wonderfully
smoky and low-pitched, delivering the banter with ease, and I felt she was
really enjoying herself and the dialogue.
Jim Fuchs is
charming as Phillip. When Phillip explains his "position" on the
morality of his and Jane's relationship, his blind pomposity should have
made me lose patience with him; but Fuchs somehow imbues Phillip with such
likable innocence that I forgave him anyway.
Eleanor
Mullin plays Jane's wealthy, protective sister to perfection and David
Gibbs gives his character, Alfred, loads of style and an easy manner that's
very attractive. It doesn't hurt that he looks pretty darned good in tails,
either. Carmen and Jesse Russell are wonderfully alive and amusing as the
maid, Anna, and her husband, Carl. They have a pivotal scene in Act 111
that is full out hilarious.
The set had
to have been designed and constructed by a gifted professional. There's a
full sized staircase complete with landing and an upper hallway that runs
the length of the set. Costumer Emily Robinson did a lovely job, and my
favorite dress was the tailored, muted bronze evening gown that Eleanor
Mullin wore. The gentlemen in their tails were smashing and all the
costumes were fabulous. It was a great night of "adult" theater.
Connie Bollinger, KDHX
“Kind Sir”
. . . Krasna’s deft script and Sullivan’s crisp
direction of her entertaining sextet of players results in an enchanting
presentation that delivers its three acts in two brisk hours sandwiched
around two adroitly placed, 10-minute intermissions. The cast looks
smart and appropriately upper-crust in Emily Robinson’s elegant costumes
that are counterbalanced by the working-class togs adorning Jane’s maid and
her tailor (or wardrobe proprietor) husband. The action plays out in
Jane’s swank and tony Manhattan apartment that Tim Poertner fills with
lavish accoutrements (it will double for the “Royal Family” set as well)
courtesy of props mistress Peggy Knock, all handsomely lit by Michael
Sullivan
Best of all,
there are several engaging performances to illustrate Krasna’s witty dialogue.
As Jane, Kirsten Wylder has the look of an accomplished actress and
precisely conveys her character’s patrician airs as well as Jane’s
lingering frustration. She’s complemented handsomely by Jim Fuchs,
who brings both a debonair demeanor and a mysterious undertone to Phillip’s
façade. The two play off each other nicely, making their relationship
easily believable
Eleanor
Mullin and David Gibbs sparkle as Jane’s stately sister and
brother-in-law. While Mullin is amusing as the bluntly direct busybody
Margaret, Gibbs contrasts appealingly as her low-key and sometimes
exasperated husband.
The third duo
are Anna the maid and Carl her husband, played in grand style by Carmen
Russell and her real-life husband, Jesse Russell. While Carmen is
convincing as the well-meaning and dutiful maid, Jesse offers the show’s
most hysterically funny moments near its conclusion as the near-sighted
Carl makes a mess of things in a scheme concocted by Jane to seek revenge
against the conniving Phillip. Jesse Russell’s mastery of pratfalls
and physical humor accentuate an already engaging production..
As their mission states, the folks at Act, Inc. have found another
forgotten treasure. True to its period, it may seem a bit quaint now,
but that’s also part of its charm. See it before it slips back into
the misty shrouds of time.
Rating:
A 4.5 on a scale of 1-to-5.
Mark
Bretz, Ladue News
The Royal Family (2011)
“The Royal Family”
“A delightful production . . . fine performances . . . lavish
costumes . . . an elaborate set”
Gerry Kowarsky,
“Two on the Aisle”
“The Royal Family”
. . . How do you mirror the theatrics and bold-face
headlines of the Barrymores and their in-law Drews on the very stage where
they made their legendary marks? Simply assign the task to a pair of
noted American writers, namely playwright/director George S. Kaufman and
playwright/novelist Edna Ferber. That pair of accomplished scribes
collaborated on other theatrical hits such as “Dinner at Eight” and “Stage
Door,” and combined their collective wits in penning this three-act send-up
of the notorious Barrymores, including siblings Lionel, Ethel and John.
Director Steve Callahan once again has resurrected a treasured theatrical
masterpiece, the type of work that is Act, Inc.’s raison d’etre. While the
production is charming throughout, it’s the larger-than-life bravado of
Joshua Thomas as the thundering Tony Cavendish (read: John Barrymore) that
really propels this presentation.
Other Info: Thomas can bellow with the best of them, and
his antic behavior is a much-needed tonic for the otherwise leisurely pace
of this three-act work that consumes nearly three hours. He’s
fitfully funny as he lunges through his dialogue as recklessly as he chews
up the scenery while making the grandest of entrances and exits. It’s
a magnificent performance that has ‘Kevin Kline nomination’ virtually
imprinted upon it.
Lynn Rathbone also offers a splendid turn as Fannie, haughty matriarch of
the Cavendish brood. Rathbone delivers her lines with just the right
flair, instilling both the Cavendish spirit and the concomitant air of
superiority for every occasion. Katie McGee embodies the
free-spirited Gwen, who finds that blood is thicker than the pull of a
wedding ring, while Liz Hopefl is a steadying influence as the reigning matinee
queen, Julie, handling myriad family responsibilities like an unrivaled
juggler.
Chuck Lavazzi and Laura Kyro provide their own humorous moments as the
bickering Deans. Colin Nichols and David Cooperstein do fine work as
‘outsiders’ Marshall and Stewart, respectively, while Barry Hyatt relishes
his role as the family’s busy manager. Michele Dodson and Gold Wise
have fun as the efficient domestic help, Della and Jo, Tim Grumich is
Julie’s personal boxing trainer and Chris Jent and Bob Nickles nicely fill
the roles of bag handlers, chauffeurs and even an Indian gunga brought back
by Tony. Topsy Baskerville, looking suspiciously like noted graphics
designer Marjorie Williamson, capably fills out the cast as Gwen’s nanny.
Tim Poertner’s lavish scenic design sets the right tone for the elegant
Cavendish digs, complete with handsome family portraits, and is well lit by
Michael Sullivan’s design. Sound designer Robin Weatherall cleverly
puts together several fine old numbers reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties,
Teresa Doggett brings flair to the costuming, whether the various attire
for the ladies or Tony’s garish fur coat, Rathbone unearths some quaint
props and Mike Monsey adds some sparkling, if brief, faux sword combat for
Tony and the boxing coach.
“The Royal Family” is a well-written piece, but it’s Thomas’ outrageous
antics that propel this rendition beyond a mere curio piece into true
entertainment.
Rating: A 4 on a scale of 1-to-5.
Mark
Bretz, Ladue News
The Royal Family
George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's
comic skewering of the Barrymore family and their profession still gets
over even if you're unfamiliar with the reputations of the individuals, but
its old-school length—three hours with intermissions—drags it down. The Cavendish family's three generations
of famous actors have to overcome relationship trouble, professional
trouble and legal trouble, all while vying for the spotlight in their
shared home. As current star Julie, Liz Hopefl
provides a strong and consistent heart for the play, struggling to keep her
daughter, Gwen (Katie McGee),
from quitting the stage to pursue true love even as she herself wants to
resume an affair from her own youth. McGee is a fine and funny ingénue, but
Joshua Thomas'
swashbuckling-blowhard take on Anthony Cavendish
steals every scene he's in, even from the background. An outrageous he-man prima donna who
can't tolerate anyone upstaging him, Anthony is riotous even as he's
terrible; his petulant hatred of a
new baby for drawing attention away from himself is engagingly rotten.
Paul Friswold, RFT
Abie’s Irish Rose (2010)
2010 Best Couple:
Ryan Cooper and Maggie
Murphy
Judy Newmark, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
In her annual “Judy Awards”
Best Theater Surprise – 2010: Abie's Irish Rose
Abie's Irish Rose, which ran on Broadway for five record-setting
years beginning in 1922, might well be the first Teflon play (even though
it predates the invention of Teflon by sixteen years). Reviewers had few
words of praise for Anne Nichols' lowbrow comedy about the uproar that
ensues when a good Jewish boy (Abie) brings home a Catholic bride (Rose
Mary). For nearly 90 years, Abie's Irish Rose has been the theater world's
Exhibit A of "successful but bad." Of course, most of us had
never seen Abie's Irish Rose, but we knew it couldn't be any good. Leave it
to Act Inc., an intrepid theater company that delights in resurrecting
forgotten drama from the musty past, to stage a simple yet charming
production that did us all the disservice of compelling us to alter our
ignorant preconceptions. If Abie is not a lost classic, it at least
delivered a well-acted evening of humor and sentiment. Thanks to all
involved for filling in a missing link in theater lore.
Dennis Brown, River Front Times
Despite broad stereotypes, 'Abie's Irish Rose' has
appeal
In 1922, when "Abie's Irish Rose" opened what would turn
out to be a record-breaking, five-year run on Broadway, the critics had
nothing good to say about the show.
But audiences ate it up.
Now, as the venerable romantic comedy opens the 30th season at Act
Inc., it's easy to see both points of view.
Playwright Anne Nichols certainly didn't trouble herself with
subtlety. Her play about a young Jewish-American man and a young
Irish-American woman relies on ethnic caricatures for humor and implausible
coincidence for plot. That's not a promising combination.
And yet, the show has appeal.
Part of the credit for that goes to director Steve Callahan, who
keeps things bright and brisk. But Nichols deserves credit, too. Her play — the inspiration for the old TV
show "Bridget Loves Bernie" and maybe also for "Guess Who's
Coming To Dinner" — acknowledges a fact of life: In a melting pot, sometimes the cheese is
going get attached to the meat. That's life in America.
Nichols doesn't even pretend to solve the problems that can create,
except with a pasted-on happy ending.
But by writing a comedy instead of a drama, she turns down the heat
and hints at the possibility of civilized, and even happy, ways that people
from different cultures can live together in a society that belongs to them
all. That's as reassuring today as it was almost 90 years ago.
Ryan Cooper and Maggie Murphy bring plenty of charm to their
portrayal of Abie and Rose Mary, a couple who have secretly married because
they know their families would disapprove.
But the play really belongs to Barry Hyatt and Jesse Russell, who
play their widowed fathers.
So physically different that Mack Sennett could have cast them, the
small, bustling Hyatt and the big, roaring Russell bring two stereotypes to
life with unself-conscious warmth; the long, silent scene in which they
"fight" with gift-wrapped packages is delicious.
Costumer Jane Sullivan secures the play's stylish period look,
reserving the best outfits for Suzanne Greenwald. Greenwald gives a such
lively performance as the Jewish family's kvetching neighbor, she earns
every sequin that she sports.
Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch
Abie's
Irish Rose is a bona fide
theater anomaly. The original 1922 New
York production ran for more than five
years. All these decades later, it
remains the third longest-running nonmusical (after Life With Father
and Tobacco Road) in Broadway history. Yet who today has seen this pariah? The Romeo and Juliet spinoff about
the uproar that ensues after Abie Levy (Ryan Cooper),
a dutiful Jewish son, secretly brings home Catholic bride Rose Mary Murphy
(the sassy Maggie Murphy),
is rarely staged because it is reputed to be one of the most politically
incorrect comedies of all time. But
although the evening is indeed a lumpy stew of clichés, obvious mistaken
identities and mispronounced words (oh, those silly immigrants), the script
is hardly malicious. At times it
even evokes a naive sweetness.
Director Steve Callahan
has assembled an excellent cast. There's not a weak performance in the
ensemble. In a script that invites excess, the evening is noted for its
restraint. As Solomon Levy,
the father who would rather die than see his son marry a Catholic girl, Barry Hyatt
transcends ethnicity. He reminds one of an impish Barry
Fitzgerald, yet when he frowns he morphs into a surly Edward G. Robinson. As Rose's hot-tempered Irish papa, Jesse Russell
is the whale to Hyatt's
sardine. Hyatt and Russell are as
incompatibly charming as Mutt and Jeff.
Legend has it that
Abie's original New York
reviews were terrible. They weren't,
at least not all of them. Critics seemed to be more offended by the
comedy's longevity (five years!) than by its existence. But the play will not outstay its welcome
here, because it's only running for one more weekend. Act Inc. is providing a painless way to
fill in what for most of us has been a missing link in theater lore.
Dennis Brown, River
Front Times
“Director Steve Callahan has assembled a cast I feel was absolutely
perfect . . .”
“I found Abie’s Irish Rose
to be full of schmaltz (sentimentality), and a very entertaining evening.”
Laura Kyro, KDHX
Waiting in the Wings
(2009)
“ACT Inc.
uses large cast to great effect”
“Imagine a non-musical play in today’s commercial theater with a cast
of 18! . . . But ACT INC has
produced it. And ACT INC has the
women to do it. . . . Dorothy Davis is at the top of her game
as the dear old soul whose mind wanders from decade to decade.
“Act, Inc. is
a lovely summer theater noted for its sweetness and gentility. While other local companies strive to be
edgy, Act, Inc. revels in the past.
They're much more excited by rediscovering a play written a century
ago than in something new.”
Dennis Brown, River Front Times
Ladyhouse Blues (2008)
[On having viewed production photos and heard recording of the songs
by the cast:]
“It was a truly wonderful
experience -- the best since I saw, and was part of, the original
production in NYC [in 1967].”
The play’s author, Kevin O’Morrison
“Ladyhouse Blues is the type of nugget
that Act Inc. has famously found and featured throughout its 29-year
history. . . . O’Morrison’s two-act drama is very well written, poignant
and affecting . . . Steve Callahan’s direction is loving and meticulous,
with care and attention afforded the five talented actresses who comprise
the show’s ensemble.”
Mark Bretz, Ladue News
“Scientists (and by "scientists," of course, I mean
"men") have long speculated on a parallel universe of
"women's hearts," operating on unseen, unknowable rules of female
emotions in response to apparently insignificant events, rather than
running on the good old laws of physics. And here, Mr. O'Morrison's play
gives us a fuller, more sympathetic glimpse of that invisible parallel
universe than any other play I've ever seen, including those written by
women themselves, set in any time period you might care to mention. . . . “All four actresses do great work
under the sensitive direction of Steve Callahan.”
Richard Green, Talkin’
Broadway
The Romantic Age
(2008)
“Director Rob Grumich keeps faith with the script . . . he never
rushes the romantic comedy, and imbues his cast with style. Teresa Doggett gives
a delicious performance as Melisande's silly mother, a woman who seems to
float through the play on the strength of the air in her head.”
Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch
The Man with a Load of
Mischief (2007)
“Act, Inc. once again dusted off a pair of trusty old tales, works
titled Enchanted April and Man with a Load of Mischief, with
good work in the former by Julie Venegoni and April Strelinger and by
Kirsten Wylder and Colin Nichols in the latter.”
Mark Bretz, KDHX “Radio Roses”: Most memorable shows of 2007
Enchanted April
(2007)
“It’s a charming story, and a wonderful cast assembled by director
Deanna Jent fills it with life, love and vibrancy in this delightful
rendition.”
Mark Bretz, Ladue News
The Real Inspector Hound
(2007 fundraiser)
“St.
Louis critics take the stage as actors!”
Noises Off
(2006)
“This mother of all backstage theatre comedies serves
up an evening of seemingly limitless laughs. . . . [Director Deanna] Jent and company
have provided audiences with a night to remember.”
Drama at Inish
(2006)
“.
. . fascinating. . . an unexpected treat for audiences.”
Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch
Alice Sit-by-the-Fire
(2005)
“For either the
experienced or casual theatre-goer, Alice
Sit-by-the-Fire is a fun show with a unique history that is easy to
enjoy.”
Philip Bozich, KDHX, 88.1 FM
“Comic timing that never
fails….”
Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Great Day in the Morning (2004)
“…St. Louis theatergoers are being given
the rare opportunity to share in a resurrection. Great Day in the Morning serves up a grand evening of theater.”
Dennis Brown, Riverfront Times
“ACT Inc.’s current
staging of Great Day in the Morning
rescues a fine script with strong local interest from undeserved neglect.”
Gerry Kowarsky, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“The ACT Inc. production,
sporting Deanna Jent’s well-tuned direction of a fine local cast … plays
exceptionally well in the intimate studio space of Fontbonne University
Theater.”
Nancy Crouse, KDHX, 88.1 FM
Meet Me in St. Louis
(2004)
“…a lot of fun.”
Richard Green, KDHX, 88.1 FM
“In its wry depiction of
that eternal battle of man vs. wife, daughters and maid, once again Meet Me in St. Louis refreshes and charms.”
Dennis Brown, Riverfront Times
Diana of Dobson’s
(2004)
“A young woman in
possession of life’s ‘larger truths’ breaks the hearts of her betters, and
is broken even from her own meager station by her defiance of convention.”
Richard Green, KDHX, 88.1 FM
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