[NEohioPAL]Beacon Journal Rave Review of SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER at Actors' Summit

Wed Apr 6 06:40:36 PDT 2005

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Silliness takes center stage in Actors' Summit play

Production of `She Stoops to Conquer' provides laughs

Kerry Clawson

Beacon Journal

Mistaken identities and general tomfoolery are the sources of humor in 
Actors' Summit's production of She Stoops to Conquer, by Irish-born playwright 
Oliver Goldsmith.
This comic classic of the English stage was first produced in London in 1773. 
Memorable characters include the slovenly ne'er-do-well, Tony Lumpkin; the 
mischievous, witty heroine, Kate; the meddling, greedy stepmother, Mrs. Hardcast
le; and the irate father, Mr. Hardcastle.
Class distinctions and wealth are very important in this tale, as parallel 
love stories unfold between Kate and young Marlow as well as the young Constance 
Neville and her lover, Hastings.
Goldsmith's Marlow (Andrew Narten) is unable to speak with any sort of 
intelligence to women of his class but he's as witty as can be with barmaids and 
such -- an amusing plot device for a number of comedic scenes with Connie 
Thackaberry's Kate. And although Hastings is willing to elope with Constance and 
leave her fortune behind, Constance is hesitant to totally give up her earthly 
possessions for love.
Peter Voinovich cuts quite the picture as the spoiled Tony, with long, 
slicked-back hair and a devil-may-care attitude. Playwright Goldsmith, known as a 
youthful carouser and a gambling man, was likely writing from personal 
experience in creating Tony.
Tony's a good-natured sort who enjoys playing practical jokes. In this comedy 
of manners, he sends gentlemen Marlow and Hastings to an ``inn,'' which is 
really the private home of the host they had been intending to visit. (Goldsmith 
himself had been victim of just such a hoax in his youth.)
General silliness ensues in this comic reversal of values as Marlow orders 
everyone, including his own host (Wayne Turney as Hardcastle), around.
The play's a spoof on human weaknesses, but Tony isn't the most foolish 
character: His mother, Mrs. Hardcastle, is.
Linda Ryan carries that role off with aplomb, wearing an overblown gown with 
huge amounts of lace and ribbons, set off by a ridiculous sailboat headpiece. 
This show features great-looking period costumes thanks to designer MaryJo 
Alexander. One of the funniest scenes in the play occurs between Ryan and 
Voinovich, as Voinovich's Tony pretends to be too obtuse to understand that the 
jewels his mother has been guarding have been stolen.
Director Neil Thackaberry has said that he chose not to do this comedy with 
English accents -- the principals use standard American pronunciations. To 
indicate class distinctions important to the play, Thackaberry has the servants 
speak with Southern -- not cockney -- accents. But even putting Southern 
stereotypes aside, these Southern accents sound too hesitant to serve the play well.
As inept servants, Tom Stephan, Holly Facer and Steve Ryan offer a comical 
scene as their master (Wayne Turney as Hardcastle) tries to whip these bumpkins 
into shape for high-class company.
Actors' Summit newcomer Alicia Kahn also plays Constance's humor straight to 
the audience, pointing her toe, posing, stealing kisses from Hastings (Ron Lee 
Davis) and flitting about like a little hummingbird.
After a series of misunderstandings in this jovial piece, all's well that 
ends well between the secondary lovers as well as Marlow and his ``little 
tyrant,'' Kate.

Theater critic Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or by e-mail at 
kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com. 

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<H1 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 3.75pt"><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMIL=
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l"><FONT color=3D#666666>Beacon Journal</FONT></SPAN></B></SPAN><SPAN style=
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SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Mistaken=
 identities and general tomfoolery are the sources of humor in Actors' Summi=
t's production of She Stoops to Conquer, by Irish-born playwright Oliver Gol=
dsmith.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">This com=
ic classic of the English stage was first produced in London in 1773. Memora=
ble characters include the slovenly ne'er-do-well, Tony Lumpkin; the mischie=
vous, witty heroine, Kate; the meddling, greedy stepmother, Mrs. Hardcastle;=
 and the irate father, Mr. Hardcastle.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Class di=
stinctions and wealth are very important in this tale, as parallel love stor=
ies unfold between Kate and young Marlow as well as the young Constance Nevi=
lle and her lover, Hastings.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Goldsmit=
h's Marlow (Andrew Narten) is unable to speak with any sort of intelligence=20=
to women of his class but he's as witty as can be with barmaids and such --=20=
an amusing plot device for a number of comedic scenes with Connie Thackaberr=
y's Kate. And although Hastings is willing to elope with Constance and leave=
 her fortune behind, Constance is hesitant to totally give up her earthly po=
ssessions for love.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Peter Vo=
inovich cuts quite the picture as the spoiled Tony, with long, slicked-back=20=
hair and a devil-may-care attitude. Playwright Goldsmith, known as a youthfu=
l carouser and a gambling man, was likely writing from personal experience i=
n creating Tony.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Tony's a=
 good-natured sort who enjoys playing practical jokes. In this comedy of man=
ners, he sends gentlemen Marlow and Hastings to an ``inn,'' which is really=20=
the private home of the host they had been intending to visit. (Goldsmith hi=
mself had been victim of just such a hoax in his youth.)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></=
P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">General=20=
silliness ensues in this comic reversal of values as Marlow orders everyone,=
 including his own host (Wayne Turney as Hardcastle), around.<o:p></o:p></SP=
AN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The play=
's a spoof on human weaknesses, but Tony isn't the most foolish character: H=
is mother, Mrs. Hardcastle, is.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Linda Ry=
an carries that role off with aplomb, wearing an overblown gown with huge am=
ounts of lace and ribbons, set off by a ridiculous sailboat headpiece. This=20=
show features great-looking period costumes thanks to designer MaryJo Alexan=
der. One of the funniest scenes in the play occurs between Ryan and Voinovic=
h, as Voinovich's Tony pretends to be too obtuse to understand that the jewe=
ls his mother has been guarding have been stolen.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Director=
 Neil Thackaberry has said that he chose not to do this comedy with English=20=
accents -- the principals use standard American pronunciations. To indicate=20=
class distinctions important to the play, Thackaberry has the servants speak=
 with Southern -- not cockney -- accents. But even putting Southern stereoty=
pes aside, these Southern accents sound too hesitant to serve the play well.=
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">As inept=
 servants, Tom Stephan, Holly Facer and Steve Ryan offer a comical scene as=20=
their master (Wayne Turney as Hardcastle) tries to whip these bumpkins into=20=
shape for high-class company.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Actors'=20=
Summit newcomer Alicia Kahn also plays Constance's humor straight to the aud=
ience, pointing her toe, posing, stealing kisses from Hastings (Ron Lee Davi=
s) and flitting about like a little hummingbird.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">After a=20=
series of misunderstandings in this jovial piece, all's well that ends well=20=
between the secondary lovers as well as Marlow and his ``little tyrant,'' Ka=
te.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN><SPAN style=3D"FONT=
-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><EM>Theater critic Kerry Claws=
on may be reached at 330-996-3527 or by e-mail at </EM><A href=3D"mailto:kcl=
awson at thebeaconjournal.com"><FONT color=3D#0027b4><EM>kclawson at thebeaconjour=
nal.com</EM></FONT></A><EM>.</EM></SPAN><EM> </EM></SPAN></P></BODY></HTML>

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