"The Philadelphia Story" A comedy to see
By Hindi Greenberg
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12:01 a.m. PT Apr 24, 2008
"The Philadelphia Story" is one of my favorite romantic comedy movies (and no, "The Philadelphia Story" isn't about AIDS and didn't star Tom Hanks-that was "Philadelphia").
So it was with a little apprehension that I attended the play of that same name for the preview.
After all, how can that amazing movie (actually starring Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart) be adequately brought to life by a group of amateur actors?
Well, I am pleased to report that the troupe, very nicely directed by Sands Hall, did quite a good job and created a delightful theatrical evening.
The story involves Tracy Lord, a wealthy young socialite, who has little patience for human frailty, and how she comes to recognize that everyone, even she, can have some failings and still be a good person. Thrown into the mix are love, family relationships, social standing and stereotypes.
But these ostensibly weighty issues are addressed with rapier-sharp banter and humorous situations-after all, this is a comedy. The ensemble work was fluid and convincing, especially for the first public performance that I attended.
I particularly liked Drue Mathies as the fanny-pinching Uncle Willie, Jeff Renard as the pseudo-suave but open-minded ex-husband of Tracy, and Robert Rossman in his brief appearances as Thomas the butler. T.E. Wolfe's portrayal of Mike, the reporter who distrusts the wealthy, was very entertaining.
Of particular note was Megan Sweigert, as Tracy's precocious younger sister, who romped and cajoled most believably and energetically.
The only aspect that I felt needed improvement is for a few of the actors to slow down their speech and enunciate more clearly.
But I imagine this issue will disappear as the actors repeat and become more comfortable with their performances. The actual star of the production is the set, beautifully yet very functionally designed and painted by Pamela Hodges with construction, in large part, by Tom Taylor.
Leslie Boles' costumes also greatly contributed to the late 1930's ambiance. And behind the scenes, everything was effectively aided and managed by Alison Jones-Pomatto.
This is a fun play, with a number of very funny and memorable lines.
Treat yourself to an evening at the theater to see "The Philadelphia Story," presented by and at the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley through May 10.
ooo
Hindi Greenberg loves both old movies and plays with the sophisticated repartee as used in "The Philadelphia Story." She also likes vintage clothes and thinks it would have been fun to have been out and about when women and men still wore real hats, not baseball caps turned backwards.
