Theatre 7's latest production offers slapstick, twists.
Interested in love triangles? Then don't miss Theatre 7's latest production of "How the Other Half Loves," a warm and enjoyable comedy by Alan Ayckbourn.
Performed at Decatur Civic Center Theatre, the play is an ideal comedy for Theatre 7 with substantial characters all within reach of the high-quality actors of Theatre 7.
Love high-jinx coupled with a good dash of slapstick comedy made for an enjoyable and amusing evening in the theater. The individual events in the plot seem too complex to recount here, and frankly, are more interesting on stage than in print. Like most good farces, the plot twists and turns on mistaken assumptions. The final lines of the play add a bit of spice to the evening to keep your imagination spinning.
The play was very well cast, and the cast had a strong ensemble feel to it. Directed by Jayson Albright, the comedy seemed to easily flow and rarely was forced.
Doug Bishop as Frank Foster was excellent as the unctuous boss who thought he knew all when in reality he was always in error. I have seen Bishop in several Theatre 7 productions, and his comic timing is always impeccable. I always look forward to seeing his polished performances.
May Wilking, a Theatre 7 veteran, played Bishop's wife, Fiona. As a couple, they were excellent, and Wilking's performance embodied her experienced career.
Amy Hoak, a rising star in Theatre 7, is always a pleasure to watch on stage. Her delivery is low key, to the point and always interesting with very few wasted motions on stage. She appears never to add idiosyncrasies to her performances such as nervous gestures or wandering on stage.
Keith Creighton, in his first Theatre 7 show, did a very credible job as Bob Philips, although on occasion his acting style got a bit broad for the production, understandable due to his lack of experience. All in all, however, it was a top-notch performance for a newcomer in a demanding comedy.
Tim Haworth and Penny Williams played William and Mary Detweiler filled with naiveté in the complex ways of office sexual politics. Even when Haworth called Mrs. Foster by the worry name, he covered his error with charm and aplomb in a manner that was endearing to the audience.
Albright directed this production in a far less contrived manner than he has other comedies to date, and the production flourished. The difficulties inherent in the staging, due to action going on often in two flats on stage simultaneously, were smoothly handled but the director.
The scene design by Jerry Johnson worked well for the show. However, each side of the set (representing two distinct households) was almost a mirror image, and some variety in approach would have been appreciated.
Delia Larkins' costumes seemed most appropriate for the show with some interesting comic elements used in Creighton's scenes.
The lighting, by Angela Bayler, was generally quite good. However, I was off put a bit by the lack of lighting behind the set. For example, on Saturday and Sunday morning when the exterior doors to each abode were opened, there was utter darkness backstage. They should have hung a few lighting instruments.