Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield, MA
through August 5, 2017
by Jarice Hanson
Alan Ayckbourn’s 1979 play, “Taking Steps,” presents a
staging challenge for any theater. The play takes place in a large, run-down,
three-level house, but the various levels are all played on a flat stage, with
location indicated by actors miming the stair steps separating the different
floors. Timing and blocking of actors makes up much of the comedy in this farce
as actors on the different “levels” pass within a whisker’s distance from each
other.
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| Photo by Daniel Rader |
In Barrington Stage Company’s production of this clever,
wacky story, director Sam Buntrock moves his actors as though they were chess
pieces. Aided by a clever set by Jason Sherwood and punctuated by a complicated
lighting system designed by David Weiner, the house becomes a “character” as
much as any of actors do. Oh yes, and the house has a history too—it was
reputed to have been a brothel, with at least one ghost still frequenting the
premises.
The talented sextet of actors each portray strong
characters, representing the usual “types” you expect in a farce. On the night
I saw the show, Carson Elrod as Tristram, the bumbling representative from a
Solicitor’s Office (remember, this is British) was a particular crowd pleaser.
Tristram’s physicality and vacuous demeanor play beautifully against the others
who all have their own reasons for trying to manipulate the outcome of the
story. Another stand-out is Richard Hollis as Roland, the severe “man of the
house” who likes to exercise what he sees as his superior intelligence and
control, over others. When Roland’s tightly-wound character begins to unravel,
we see some of the funniest scenes generating spontaneous belly-laughs from the
audience.
The pacing and timing in this production are admirable and
the characters strong and convincing. It may take a few more performances for
the cast to find their “grove” and make this gem sparkle, but I have no doubt
that as this cast’s comfort level on the stage grows, so too will the
audience’s appreciation of Ayckbourn’s farce, which offers the best of
eccentric characters, silly situations, and opportunities for laughter.
