[NEohioPAL]Berko review: SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER (Actors' Summit)

[Roy Berko]

‘SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER,’ DELIGHTFUL AT ACTOR’S SUMMIT

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

Oliver Goldsmith, the author of ‘SHE STOOPS TO
CONQUER, now on stage at Actors’ Summit, was born in
Ireland in 1728, but lived most of his life in
England.  Interestingly, if he had not literally
missed a boat, he might have turned out to be an
important American writer.  Missing boats, changing
fields of study (law to medicine to sailing) and a
talent for drinking and gambling, led him to the come
up with ways to make money.  He started writing about
the people around him, mainly families he could laugh
at for their “gentility.” His style caught on. 
Probably his best known work is ‘SHE STOOPS TO
CONQUER’ also known as ‘THE MISTAKES OF A NIGHT OF
COMEDY.’

SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER opened in London on March 15,
1773.  It is in the tradition of other humorous
attacks on the British such as ‘THE IMPORTANCE OF
BEING EARNEST.’  It satirizes the English with good
humor.   This is not a malicious satire but a
good-natured one. 

The story centers on the HARDCASTLE family.  Mr.
Hardcastle is a wealthy country man whose second wife
is quite determined that her spoiled and not too
bright son, Tony Lumpkin, marry her niece, Constance
Neville.  In this way she will be able to keep the
young woman’s fortune. The young people, however, have
other plans, especially Miss Neville who is secretly
pledged to a handsome youth named Hastings.

Mr. Hardcastle has plans for his own charming
daughter, Kate, to marry the son of his old friend,
Sir Charles Marlow.  Unfortunately young Marlow,
though otherwise dynamic and a rogue with women, gets
tongue-tied in the presence of ladies of his own
social status.

So the scene is set for a series of mistaken
identities, hoaxes, betrayals, and humor.

As often happens with English farce, most of the first
act is exposition and is not nearly as clever as the
second, which centers on the intertwining love stories
and makes the fairly long evening an enjoyable sit.

The Actors’ Summit production is blessed with the
wonderful, whimsical, flubbering Wayne Turney. 
Watching him weave his acting magic as Mr. Hardcastle
is worth the price of admission.  The multi-Times
Tribute Acting Award winning Turney does what Turney
always does...win the audience by developing a
characterization that perfectly fits the character.  
His tirade in Act II, Scene I should be a must see for
all aspiring acting students.  

Also strong is Linda Ryan as Mrs. Hardcastle.   The
rest of cast is credible though not up to Turney or
Ryan.  At times some of them try too hard for
exaggeration and forget that the most effective farce
is often underplay, not overplay.

Director A. Neil Thackaberry has wisely decided not to
use English accents, which many American actors have
difficulty making real and consistent.  His decision
to use southern accents to indicate the lower classes
is somewhat questionable, however.  

Because of the physical format of the stage it might
have been wise to have gone with a total fragmentary
set rather than try to create the home, pub and
garden.   As is, the settings were not clearly
differentiated.

Mary Jo Alexander’s costumes are wonderful.   The
detailing on the ornate clothing aided greatly in
setting the correct tone.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   Actor’s Summit’s ‘SHE STOOPS TO
CONQUER’ is a nice small theatre production of Oliver
Goldsmith’s delightful play.  Go, if for no other
reason, than to see Wayne Turney spin his humorous
magic.

For tickets to the production, which runs through
April 17, call 330-342-0800 or go on line to
www.actorssummit.org.



Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.


		
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