"The Real Inspector Hound"
The Suffield Players
Mapleton Hall, Suffield CT
Friday and Saturday through May 19 2007
By Donna Bailey-Thompson
Take a generic Agatha Christie-like murder mystery set in a spooky manor house staffed by strange servants and add hangers-on who seem to stem from long lines of inbreeding. Present these ingredients to playwright Tom Stoppard to stir and shake well until all brains are addled, then write and publish a script which attracts the Script Staff of The Suffield Players. Audition seasoned adult actors with an appreciation of the zany. Designate as director Konrad Rogowski who whips into shape a production that excels in timing, milking details, nutty nuances – surely you’re getting the picture?
But, ah there’s the rub. Because what you see is not necessarily what you get until the scene is repeated – well, sorta – and a character bespeaks a throw-away line, "Does this play know where it’s going?" By then, who cares? Because getting to where it’s going (if it gets there) is not half the fun, it’s all the fun.
The actors are the only ones who take themselves seriously which heightens the almost non-stop comedic moments. Especially adept is Kelly Seip as Drudge, a multi-faceted servant, who puts a feather duster through outlandish maneuvers, serves tea with the studied absence of social graciousness, and is the antithesis of a tactful retainer. Vanda Doyle, a newcomer to the Suffield Players but not to the stage, slips effortlessly into the lady of the manor (Felicity), vacillating between haughty and naughty. Indeed, all the cast become their wacky characters – Steve Wandzy, Bruce Showalter, Rob Lunde, Karen Balaska, Roger Ohs, and Dale Facey.
The Suffield Players are noted for their professionalism, a direct offshoot of their love and respect for the theater. Their success is due to the company’s spirit and attention to details. "The Real Inspector Hound" is especially indebted to the adroitness of its director, Konrad Rogowski, who taps into his accumulated lore and his appreciation of silliness extraordinaire.
Mapleton Hall, Suffield CT
Friday and Saturday through May 19 2007
By Donna Bailey-Thompson
Take a generic Agatha Christie-like murder mystery set in a spooky manor house staffed by strange servants and add hangers-on who seem to stem from long lines of inbreeding. Present these ingredients to playwright Tom Stoppard to stir and shake well until all brains are addled, then write and publish a script which attracts the Script Staff of The Suffield Players. Audition seasoned adult actors with an appreciation of the zany. Designate as director Konrad Rogowski who whips into shape a production that excels in timing, milking details, nutty nuances – surely you’re getting the picture?
But, ah there’s the rub. Because what you see is not necessarily what you get until the scene is repeated – well, sorta – and a character bespeaks a throw-away line, "Does this play know where it’s going?" By then, who cares? Because getting to where it’s going (if it gets there) is not half the fun, it’s all the fun.
The actors are the only ones who take themselves seriously which heightens the almost non-stop comedic moments. Especially adept is Kelly Seip as Drudge, a multi-faceted servant, who puts a feather duster through outlandish maneuvers, serves tea with the studied absence of social graciousness, and is the antithesis of a tactful retainer. Vanda Doyle, a newcomer to the Suffield Players but not to the stage, slips effortlessly into the lady of the manor (Felicity), vacillating between haughty and naughty. Indeed, all the cast become their wacky characters – Steve Wandzy, Bruce Showalter, Rob Lunde, Karen Balaska, Roger Ohs, and Dale Facey.
The Suffield Players are noted for their professionalism, a direct offshoot of their love and respect for the theater. Their success is due to the company’s spirit and attention to details. "The Real Inspector Hound" is especially indebted to the adroitness of its director, Konrad Rogowski, who taps into his accumulated lore and his appreciation of silliness extraordinaire.
Labels: greater hartford, real inspector hound, suffield players, theatre
