The Metromaniacs

B

If you have seen one of David Ives’s three previous riffs on classical French comedy — The School for Lies after Moliere, The Heir Apparent after Regnard and The Liar after Corneille — you will know exactly what to expect from this latest “translaptation” (what he calls his translated adaptations). A featherweight plot is sustained by the cleverness of Ives’s rhymed and often amusingly anachronistic couplets, artfully delivered by a talented cast in a stylish production. That’s what Ives again delivers, but this time out it does not seem quite as effortless. Ives had to dig deep to find his source, an obscure 1738 play by a virtually forgotten author, Alexis Piron. Based on actual events, it relates how a scorned Parisian poet got back at the literati by assuming the persona of a Breton shepherdess whose poetry charmed them all including Voltaire. In Ives’s version, the multiple impersonations and mistaken identifies are so complicated that even the actors get confused. The humor is a bit broader and the quality of the rhymes is a bit lower. The delightful cast includes holdovers from previous Ives plays — Christian Conn, Adam LeFevre and Amelia Pedlow — in addition to Noah Averbach-Katz, Adam Green (The Witch of Edmonton), Peter Kybart (Awake and Sing) and Dina Thomas (Tribes). Alas, Carlson Elrod, whose previous Ives performances added so much fun, is absent this time. Murell Horton is back with more wonderful costumes and Michael Kahn again directs with flair. The set design by James Noone (Sunset Boulevard) is also excellent. If you have not seen one of the earlier plays, you will probably be delighted; if you have, you might be a bit disappointed. Ives has apparently moved his New York base from Classic Stage Company to Red Bull Theater. CSC”s loss is a win for Red Bull. Running time: one hour 50 minutes including intermission.

Links to reviews of earlier Ives plays:

The School for Lies https://bobs-theater-blog.blogspot.com/2011/05/school-for-lies.html

The Heir Apparent https://bobs-theater-blog.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-heir-apparent.html

The Liar https://bobs-theater-blog.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-liar.html

Pride and Prejudice

B-

I wish I could say that Kate Hamill’s latest adaptation of a Jane Austen novel was as successful as her delightful version of Sense & Sensibility at the Gym at Judson last year. While the present work offers many pleasures, it lacks the air of lighthearted effortlessness that made that work so enjoyable. Instead, we get a frenetic pastiche of slapstick comedy, anachronisms and crossdressing that tries much too hard to entertain. This production originated at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival where I can see it working much better outdoors on a warm summer night. Five of the hard-working cast of eight play multiple roles. Mark Bedard (Fashion for Men) is a standout in all three of his roles — Mr. Collins, Ms. Bingley and Mr. Wickham. Amelia Pedlow (The Liar, The Heir Apparent), a lovely Jane, also plays Miss DeBourgh. John Tufts makes a strong impression as both Bingley and Mary. Chris Thorn is fine both as Mr. Bennet and Charlotte Lucas. Kimberly Chatterjee (The Christians) is strong as Lydia and Lady Catherine. Nance Williamson is an amusing Mrs. Bennet. Jason O’Connell (Sense & Sensibility) is a nuanced Mr. Darcy. Surprisingly Kate Hamill’s (Sense & Sensibility) Lizzy is disappointing; she comes across mainly as a sourpuss. Some of the anachronisms were jarring for me, e.g. dancing to music from Star Wars. The  audience appeared to be having a good time. If you are not measuring it against Hamill’s earlier work, you probably will too. In John McDermott’s (Sense & Sensibility) set design, the stage is stripped down to brick walls and lined with period chairs, tables, a piano and, for no apparent reason, a gramophone. The costumes, by Tracy Christensen (Sunset Boulevard), look appropriate for summer stock. Amanda Dehnert’s brisk direction includes a bit of audience participation. Running time 2 1/2 hours including intermission.

The Liar

A-

One of the most enjoyable plays I saw in 2011 was The School for Lies, David Ives’s delightful riff on Moliere’s The Misanthrope, at Classic Stage Company. The cleverness of Ives’s rhymed couplets, full of anachronisms and contemporary references, more than compensated for the silliness of the plot. Three years later, Ives was back at CSC with his “translaptation” (his word) of “The Heir Apparent,” a comedy by lesser known French playwright Regnard. While enjoyable, it did not reach the hilarious peaks of the earlier piece. Now CSC is presenting Ives’s latest adaptation of a classic French comedy, Corneillie’s The Liar (Le Menteur). The good news is that Ives is in top form and the production is another triumph of style over substance. The slight plot, a trifle based on mistaken identities, is performed with conviction by an excellent cast led by Christian Conn in the title role of Dorante and the ever-enjoyable Carson Elrod (“All in the Timing,” “The Heir Apparent,” “The Explorers Club’) as his manservant Cliton, who cannot tell a lie. Ismenia Mendes and Amelia Pedlow are charming as Clarice and Lucrece. Tony Roach is fun as Alcippe, Clarice’s secret fiance. Aubrey Deeker is fine in the less showy role of Philiste. Adam LeFevre brings warmth to the role of Dorante’s father Geronte, Kelly Hutchinson is a delight its the twin maids Isabelle and Sabine. The elegantly simple set by Alexander Dodge and the attractive costumes by Murell Horton enhance the production. Michael Kahn directs with a light touch. My only reservation is that it is almost too much of a good thing. The slenderness of the plot barely supports the play’s length, despite all its cleverness. Running time: 2 hours 10 minutes including intermission.

Comfort alert: The seats in Row A do not have arms.

’Tis Pity She’s a Whore ***

Red Bull Theater, which specializes in plays of the Jacobean era, is presenting John Ford’s bloody revenge drama in a solid production at The Duke on 42nd Street. Amelia Pedlow and Matthew Amendt, as incestuous siblings Annabella and Giovanni, lead a strong cast of fifteen. Annabella’s three suitors, Lord Soranzo, Grimaldi and Bergetto, are well-played by Clifton Duncan, Tramell Tillman and Ryan Garbayo respectively. Derek Smith is impressive in the critical role of Vasques, Soranzo’s loyal servant. Franchelle Stewart Dorn makes a fine Putana, Annabella’s tutoress. Everett Quinton is good as Signor Donado, Bergetto’s uncle. Christopher Innvar, as Giovanni’s tutor and confessor Friar Bonaventura, seemed less comfortable than the others with verse. Philip Goodwin, Ryan Farley, Kelley Curran, Marc Vietor, Auden Thornton and Rocco Sisto round out the cast. The complicated plot of competing revenge plots runs like a Swiss clock under Jesse Bergers brisk, confident direction. David M. Barber’s scenic design is elegantly simple and Sara Jean Tosetti’s costumes are attractive. The second act is quite a blood fest, but such were the conventions of the time. The production does not sensationalize the gore. All in all, it was an evening well-spent. Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes, including intermission.                                                                           

The Heir Apparent ***

I wish I had been able to approach the CSC production of David Ives's "translaptation" (his neologism) of Jean-François Regnard's 1708 comedy unburdened by expectations. Unfortunately, I could not drive away the memory of CSC's brilliant 2011 production of "The School for Lies." Ives's riff on Moliere's "The Misanthrope," which I thought was one of the best plays of that year. The problem with this work is that Regnard is no Moliere. The humor is broader, less witty and more scatological. Although it makes for an enjoyable evening, the play doesn't reach the heights of Ives's best adaptations or original work. The plot is an old standby -- scheming to win the inheritance of an allegedly dying miser. The major source of the fun is in Ives' delightful rhyming couplets in iambic pentameter. His verses are filled with delightful anachronisms and modern cultural references, e.g. soccer moms, the 99%, CPR. The entire cast is excellent, first among them the always hilarious Carson Elrod ("The Explorers Club," "All in the Timing") as the servant whose crazy plans drive most of the action. Suzanne Bertish, Paxton Whitehead and David Pittu, ever the reliable actors, shine in their roles. Dave Quay, Amelia Pedlow and Claire Karpen are all fine too. John Lee Beatty's set is marvelously cluttered and David C. Woolard's costumes are appealing. Director John Rando keeps things moving along briskly, but I didn't like the choice to have an actor break character and address the audience a few times. I liked the play, but I would have liked it more if I had not seen other better work from Ives. Running time: 2 hours including intermission.