[NEohioPAL]Dorothy & Reuben Silver Shine in Arms & the Man - Beacon Journal Review

Mon Nov 6 07:34:51 PST 2006

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Mild, anti-war rhetoric in `Arms and the Man' 
Actors' Summit Theater delivers capable cast   
By Elaine Guregian 
Beacon Journal arts and culture critic 
One generation's social satire is another generation's warm milk. The  
problem with George Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man is that its targets are so  
predictable. 
A new production at Actors' Summit Theater in Hudson opened Friday night  
with a solid cast that brings well-oiled professionalism and spirit, if not any  
surprises, to the story. 
Shaw's 1898 comedy was years ago turned into an operetta, The Chocolate  
Soldier, in which the music by Oscar Straus often surpasses the book. (The  
operetta is in the repertory of the Ohio Light Opera in Wooster.) Even in the  
original play, where Shaw's words stand intact, it's disappointing how blandly  it 
can come across. 
Neil Thackaberry's stage direction is true to the drawing-room  cheerfulness 
of Shaw's work, and characterizations generally are, too. Costumes  designed 
by MaryJo Alexander suggest styles that might have been worn by a newly  rich 
family in late 1880s Bulgaria. Catherine Petkoff, played with a cozy ease  by 
Northeast Ohio stalwart Dorothy Silver, brags that her family has been known  
in Bulgaria for a good long time: ``almost 20 years.'' The family is absurdly  
proud of its library, which boasts more knickknacks than books in its meager  
collection. 
This comes across as a cheap shot, since Catherine and her husband, Maj.  
Paul Petkoff, seem pleasant-enough people who aren't guilty of anything except  
being new to the business of wealth. Shaw resorts to unpleasant national slurs, 
 setting up Paul Petkoff (Reuben Silver, the other half of the veteran acting 
 team) as a provincial through his comments about unnecessary washing of  
hands. 
The Bulgarians are at war with the Serbians. As Capt. Bluntschli, the  
affable escaping Serbian soldier who would rather eat chocolate than kill  anyone, 
Dana Hart had an amiable twinkle about him. Raina, Petkoff's  self-important 
daughter (Alicia Kahn), learns from Bluntschli the value of being  sincere 
instead of affecting her drama-school poses for every  situation. 
Will Raina stick with her betrothed, Maj. Sergius Saranoff (Joe Bishara,  
whose expressions belonged more in a kids' adventure movie) or drop him for the  
Chocolate Soldier? 
Enter Louka, an independent-minded servant girl (is there any other kind,  
other than the high-spirited soubrette?) played with dignity by the dusky-voiced 
 Sally Groth. Louka has both Sergius and her fellow servant, Nicola (Bob 
Keefe),  interested in her, though neither deserve her. She reveals the truth that 
each  is despicable in his own way, Sergius for cheating on his betrothed and 
Nicola  for seeing her as more useful to him as Sergius' wife than as his 
own. Funny,  huh? 
Shaw's writing builds to the third movement, where Raina and Bluntschli  
confront each other and their feelings. The point where Raina drops her mask is  a 
welcome bold note in a play where the put-downs are silly and the anti-war  
rhetoric is as mild as milk chocolate. 

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<DIV>
<FONT=20
size=3D3>Mild, anti-war rhetoric in `Arms and the Man'<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p><=
/o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT=20
size=3D3>Actors' Summit Theater delivers capable cast=20
<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT=20
size=3D3>By Elaine Guregian<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT=20
size=3D3>Beacon Journal arts and culture critic<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT=20
size=3D3>One generation's social satire is another generation's warm milk. T=
he=20
problem with George Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man is that its targets are=20=
so=20
predictable.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT=20
size=3D3>A new production at Actors' Summit Theater in Hudson opened Friday=20=
night=20
with a solid cast that brings well-oiled professionalism and spirit, if not=20=
any=20
surprises, to the story.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT=20
size=3D3>Shaw's 1898 comedy was years ago turned into an operetta, The Choco=
late=20
Soldier, in which the music by Oscar Straus often surpasses the book. (The=20
operetta is in the repertory of the Ohio Light Opera in Wooster.) Even in th=
e=20
original play, where Shaw's words stand intact, it's disappointing how bland=
ly=20
it can come across.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT=20
size=3D3>Neil Thackaberry's stage direction is true to the drawing-room=20
cheerfulness of Shaw's work, and characterizations generally are, too. Costu=
mes=20
designed by MaryJo Alexander suggest styles that might have been worn by a n=
ewly=20
rich family in late 1880s Bulgaria. Catherine Petkoff, played with a cozy ea=
se=20
by Northeast Ohio stalwart Dorothy Silver, brags that her family has been kn=
own=20
in Bulgaria for a good long time: ``almost 20 years.'' The family is absurdl=
y=20
proud of its library, which boasts more knickknacks than books in its meager=
=20
collection.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT=20
size=3D3>This comes across as a cheap shot, since Catherine and her husband,=
 Maj.=20
Paul Petkoff, seem pleasant-enough people who aren't guilty of anything exce=
pt=20
being new to the business of wealth. Shaw resorts to unpleasant national slu=
rs,=20
setting up Paul Petkoff (Reuben Silver, the other half of the veteran acting=
=20
team) as a provincial through his comments about unnecessary washing of=20
hands.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT=20
size=3D3>The Bulgarians are at war with the Serbians. As Capt. Bluntschli, t=
he=20
affable escaping Serbian soldier who would rather eat chocolate than kill=20
anyone, Dana Hart had an amiable twinkle about him. Raina, Petkoff's=20
self-important daughter (Alicia Kahn), learns from Bluntschli the value of b=
eing=20
sincere instead of affecting her drama-school poses for every=20
situation.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT=20
size=3D3>Will Raina stick with her betrothed, Maj. Sergius Saranoff (Joe Bis=
hara,=20
whose expressions belonged more in a kids' adventure movie) or drop him for=20=
the=20
Chocolate Soldier?<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT=20
size=3D3>Enter Louka, an independent-minded servant girl (is there any other=
 kind,=20
other than the high-spirited soubrette?) played with dignity by the dusky-vo=
iced=20
Sally Groth. Louka has both Sergius and her fellow servant, Nicola (Bob Keef=
e),=20
interested in her, though neither deserve her. She reveals the truth that ea=
ch=20
is despicable in his own way, Sergius for cheating on his betrothed and Nico=
la=20
for seeing her as more useful to him as Sergius' wife than as his own. Funny=
,=20
huh?<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT=20
size=3D3>Shaw's writing builds to the third movement, where Raina and Blunts=
chli=20
confront each other and their feelings. The point where Raina drops her mask=
 is=20
a welcome bold note in a play where the put-downs are silly and the anti-war=
=20
rhetoric is as mild as milk chocolate.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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