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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Lakeland offers solid
but less than ‘Ideal Husband’ <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Bob
Abelman<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">News-Herald,
Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times, Geauga Times
Courier<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Member,
International Association of Theatre Critics <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This
review appeared in the <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">News-Herald
</I></SPAN><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">on
10/1/10<B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p></o:p></B></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><FONT size=3>“Sooner or later we have all to pay for what we
do.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>Pastoral letter of apology from Pope </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Benedict XVI?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Group confessional by Cuyahoga
County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, Auditor Frank Russo, and Judges Bridget
McCafferty and Steven Terry?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Meaning of the asterisk next to the records set by steroid-superstars
Barry Bonds, </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>Mark McGwire and Roger Clemens?</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN> <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>Actually, this quote comes from Oscar Wilde’s play </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">An Ideal Husband</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>, written in 1895, about how the mighty fall.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Not only do those we place high on a
pedestal tend to teeter and fall; frequently, they are pushed.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In the political arena, they are pushed
particularly hard and usually from behind.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>This is the focus of Wilde’s brilliant piece of social satire, in
production at the Lakeland Civic Theatre.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Wilde
was to 19<SUP>th</SUP> century upper class British society, with its highly
structured and well mannered mores, what Bob Dylan was to 1960s complacent
mainstream America:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>an intelligent
bad boy in the back of the classroom scratching caustic poetry into his desk
that calls attention to the foolishness of the times.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And, like all creative outsiders looking
in, Wilde gets mighty wordy.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">An
Ideal Husband</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-ansi-language: EN">
<SPAN lang=EN>is four acts of non-stop dialogue.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It, like Wilde’s other major works,
amounts to a war of words between clearly defined characters, each with
competing personal philosophies and worldviews.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This war is void of fisticuffs or any
kind of action.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Instead,
</SPAN></SPAN><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">An
Ideal Husband</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-ansi-language: EN">
<SPAN lang=EN>offers dueling ideologies hurled by proper, well appointed
socialites at 20 paces.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They are
armed with ascorbic wit and an expansive vocabulary, which they brandish with
skill and grace, and are afflicted with the tendency to always, always speak
their minds.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>The play centers
on Government Minister Sir Robert Chiltern.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Fate catches up to the good Sir Robert
when a letter that reveals a past misdeed avails itself with blackmail
attached.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He must choose between a
very public scandal that would ruin his stellar political career and the private
shame of his adoring wife, who thought she had married a paragon of ethical
standards and the pillar of virtue in politics.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Added to the mix is a bit of mistaken
identity that only fools those in the play, which is a favorite ploy of the
playwright and his contemporaries.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>Quite frankly, it is hard for those in the 21<SUP>st</SUP> century who
are unaccustomed to Wilde’s ways to work up a good sweat over this
play.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>This is unfortunate, for Wilde’s words employ such luscious language and
biting cynicism that they are a genuine pleasure to listen to.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He cleverly explores the complexity of
truth in the political, social and romantic arenas by employing the most
superficial spokespersons for it.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>Director Martin Friedman, at the helm of this Lakeland Civic Theatre
production, has an ear for this kind of dialogue. He also has an eye for what
type of movement places the words center stage and what distracts.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>His staging is understated and
effective.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Similarly, Keith Nagy’s
simple yet elegant set, with its multiple doors, large centerpiece and sparse
usage of period furniture, does nothing but complement the wordplay performed
within it.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Of
course, those words are spoken by performers daring to take on Wilde’s
prototypical characters; characters that demand dimensionality despite their
apparent simplicity. After all, these individuals need to come across as real
and relevant in order for an audience to buy into what they are selling.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Friedman’s
cast accomplishes this with varying degrees of success during the show’s preview
performance.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Jeffery Grover as Sir
Robert Chiltern, Diane Mull as Lady Chiltern and Jennifer Davies as the
blackmailing Mrs. Cheveley have nicely captured the essence of their respective
characters and put on display the features that define them.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They are interesting creations.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>What has yet to reveal itself is the
vivacity that adds flesh to their bare bones. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In all fairness, these actors carry the
weight of this play in terms of the quantity of their dialogue and the
seriousness of their characters, which requires substantial legwork and,
perhaps, more time to develop. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>A richer
portrayal comes from Doug Kusak’s absurd Viscount Goring, a self-proclaimed
admirer of stupidity, who carries much of the play’s comedy.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>One of the acid tests of a more
bountiful characterization in a Wilde play is how well a performer accommodates
the eventual revelation of his or her character’s hypocrisy.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Kusak does this
brilliantly.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Also delivering
solid performances are Michael Rogan as Goring’s austere father, the Earl of
Caversham, a truly delightful Katherine DeBoer as Goring’s love interest, Miss
Mabel Childtern, and Maria Thomas Lister as the rather vacant Lady Markby.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">It is not hard
to recognize modern day moronics in <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">An
Ideal Husband</I> or to identify the evergreen temptation to conceal damaging
private choices from the public sphere.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Perhaps the fallen leadership of Cuyahoga County will take in a
performance and subscribe to its moral:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>“Sooner
or later we have all to pay for what we do.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">An
Ideal Husband </SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">continues
through October 10</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> (Fridays and
Saturdays, 7:30 p.m., Sunday Matinees, 2 p.m.) at Lakeland Civic Theatre, 7700
Clocktower Drive, Kirtland.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For
tickets, which range from $5 to $</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">15,
call </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">440-525-7526
or visit </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><A
href="" target=_blank><SPAN
style="COLOR: #003399">martinfriedman98@yahoo.com</SPAN></A>.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>