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Redlands Daily Facts
Footlighters' British farce is not so funny in America
Wednesday, January 28, 2004 -
REDLANDS Redlands Footlighters' production of "Lettice and Lovage" has many entertaining moments, but cannot overcome the very British themes that carry the script.
Directed by Todd Paul Brown, the production includes some strong performances, but the many statements, both outward and in subtext, made by the English playwright do not resound with an American audience. Schaefer's homage to jolly old England is probably more entertaining to the English than it is to us.
Filled with references to English history, it is as much an Englishman's expressed nostalgia for his country of old as it is an indictment of the United Kingdom of the '80s, when the play was written. Thatcher's England suffers many blows that only history buffs will really find amusing.
In his Footlighters directorial debut Brown, who has performed on the unique stage there several times, shows a measure of proficiency in his staging choices throughout a majority of the scenes. There is one scene in which he falls prey to a trap of the space and loses an opportunity to deliver the full strength of the scene to the audience by pinning both of his leading actresses to a table on the floor.
As Lettice Douffet, actress and director Candy Kane delivers the bulk of the show's dialogue. Kane is highly energetic throughout and maintains the pace of the production. Several of her monologues are both cleverly written and well delivered. However the number of "dramatic" moments required by the character call for a greater variety of choices than are presented during the two-hour play.
Deborah McFatter is a very strong Charlotte Shoen. She delivers the character with confidence when required, yet always hints at her character's hidden vulnerability. Again, it is unfortunate that one of her better scenes is delivered to a table top in the center of the room.
A high point of the first act involves Denise Morgan in the role of Miss Framer. As Framer, Morgan is hunched and bespectacled with a delivery that could place the character in close relation to Boris Karloff and Edith Bunker.
The relationship between Lettice and Lotte (short for Charlotte) is interesting to a point and the play could end nicely at the close of the first act. Any supposed conflict in the storyline ended with Act I, Scene 2. The third scene nicely wraps up the story line.
The second act is contrived and remains interesting only because of the introduction of a new character.
Tony Quinn is very funny in the role of Mr. Bardolph. Quinn makes great physical choices and demonstrates fine comic timing in his scene. While listening to the recounting of an insane story, he sparks one of the show's few moments of hilarity when his character becomes a participant in the tale.
After Quinn's character leaves, the story suddenly becomes emotional and dark. Schaefer reveals too much about the central figures of his "farce" when Charlotte abruptly returns her key to Lettice's apartment and leaves like a jilted lover. Next, Schaefer fails to prepare the audience for Lettice's response when his otherwise carefree and happy-go-lucky leading lady suddenly breaks down in a tearful confession of her many insecurities and begs Charlotte not to leave her.
Set design by Tom Hurst and Brown could have created a better sense of changing locales. Dressing by Morgan is lacking in comparison to Footlighters standards. Costumes by Morgan and Etha Sabel are adequate in that they appear suited to the characters and draw any attention, except when dictated by the script. House and scene change music helped to set the tone of the production and move scenes along.
"Lettice and Lovage" will continue through Feb. 8. Performances are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Redlands Footlighters Theater is located at 1810 Barton Road. Information: 793-2909.
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