[NEohioPAL]PD Rave Review of SHE STOOPS at Actors' Summit

Fri Apr 8 12:41:49 PDT 2005

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Hudson production Stoops' to new highs 
Thursday, April 07, 2005 
Inventors of the 18th century gave us the mod ern republic, the guillotine, 
the flush toilet and the dictionary. But perhaps the tastiest Age of 
Enlightenment invention of all is Oliver Goldsmith's "She Stoops to Conquer." 
An Irish gambling addict who became a hack writer in London to support his 
habit, Goldsmith set out in 1773 to better his times' banal dramatic literature. 
"She Stoops," a frothy, aside-filled laughfest about youthful romance and 
household intrigue, remains one of the truly great comic confections of all time, 
as is amply demonstrated at Actors' Summit in Hudson. It led off a busy 
weekend at smaller professional venues in the Cleveland area, where three shows 
opened since Friday. 
Staged with zesty eyebrow-waggling by director Neil Thackaberry, this 
handsome, carefully paced production musters enough charm and wit to pass, at long 
stretches, for a major regional-theater production. 
This largely is because of the frilly costumes by MaryJo Alexander 
(Thackaberry's wife) and an equally rich embroidered comic performance by Wayne Turney 
as pompous Hardcastle. 
Linda Ryan (wearing a toy ship on her head) presents the picture of decrepit 
rusticity as Mrs. Hardcastle, Peter Voinovich rolls around as a lumpy Tony 
Lumpkin, and Constance Thackaberry (the director's daughter) moons about as a 
busty, saucy Kate. Alicia Kahn has a toothy, goofy time as ingenue Constance. 
There's only one major caveat to spoil the otherwise gossamer good time: the 
accents. Thackaberry wisely has the aristocratic characters speak with 
American accents refined enough to sound right but errs in giving the servants 
Southern twangs. 
In addition to being contrived, the actors don't do any better with Dixieland 
drawls than they might have with cockney. 
But you'll hardly notice if you stay focused on the dazzling costumes, the 
sonorous Turney (in a fat suit) and Goldsmith's light-as-air cotton candy for 
the stage. 
Through Sunday, April 17, at 86 Owen Brown St., Hudson. Tickets are $18 to 
$25. Call 330-342-0800. 

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<H1 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: #d20=
000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Hudson production Stoops' to new highs <o:p></o:p><=
/SPAN></H1>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><st1:date Year=3D"2005" D=
ay=3D"7" Month=3D"4"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Th=
ursday, April 07, 2005</SPAN></st1:date><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; FON=
T-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Inventors of the 18th=20=
century gave us the mod ern republic, the guillotine, the flush toilet and t=
he dictionary. But perhaps the tastiest Age of Enlightenment invention of al=
l is Oliver Goldsmith's "She Stoops to Conquer." <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">An Irish gambling addi=
ct who became a hack writer in London to support his habit, Goldsmith set ou=
t in 1773 to better his times' banal dramatic literature. <o:p></o:p></SPAN>=
</P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">"She Stoops," a frothy=
, aside-filled laughfest about youthful romance and household intrigue, rema=
ins one of the truly great comic confections of all time, as is amply demons=
trated at Actors' Summit in Hudson. It led off a busy weekend at smaller pro=
fessional venues in the Cleveland area, where three shows opened since Frida=
y. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Staged with zesty eyeb=
row-waggling by director Neil Thackaberry, this handsome, carefully paced pr=
oduction musters enough charm and wit to pass, at long stretches, for a majo=
r regional-theater production. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">This largely is becaus=
e of the frilly costumes by MaryJo Alexander (Thackaberry's wife) and an equ=
ally rich embroidered comic performance by Wayne Turney as pompous Hardcastl=
e. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Linda Ryan (wearing a=20=
toy ship on her head) presents the picture of decrepit rusticity as Mrs. Har=
dcastle, Peter Voinovich rolls around as a lumpy Tony Lumpkin, and Constance=
 Thackaberry (the director's daughter) moons about as a busty, saucy Kate. A=
licia Kahn has a toothy, goofy time as ingenue Constance. <o:p></o:p></SPAN>=
</P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">There's only one major=
 caveat to spoil the otherwise gossamer good time: the accents. Thackaberry=20=
wisely has the aristocratic characters speak with American accents refined e=
nough to sound right but errs in giving the servants Southern twangs. <o:p><=
/o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">In addition to being c=
ontrived, the actors don't do any better with Dixieland drawls than they mig=
ht have with cockney. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">But you'll hardly noti=
ce if you stay focused on the dazzling costumes, the sonorous Turney (in a f=
at suit) and Goldsmith's light-as-air cotton candy for the stage. <o:p></o:p=
></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Through Sunday, April=20=
17, at 86 Owen Brown St., Hudson. Tickets are $18 to $25. Call 330-342-0800.=
 <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></BODY></HTML>

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