The Mystery of Irma Vep

Panache Productions, Springfield, MA

By K. J. Rogowski

To truly enjoy the plot and purpose of Panche Productions’ current show, Charles Ludlams’  “The Mystery of Irma Vep,” the audience needs to make note of a key line in the play’s title, in the small print, which reads “a penny dreadful." Wikipedia defines the term as: “a variety of publications that featured cheap sensational fiction…” With that firmly in mind, all of the silliness, improbable plot twists and melodramatic carrying on makes nearly perfect sense, which is as close as it has to come to make for an evening of fun and laughs.

The setting for the action is, of course, the classic…"it was a dark and stormy night" at the old Hillcrest estate, complete with abundant thunder and lightening. The cast of eight outrageous characters is carried off by only two actors, Mark Ekenbarger and Robert Laviolette, who are, at one moment, a maid named Jane and a groundskeeper named Nicodemus. The actors then dash off stage and back on stage to become Lord and Lady Edgar Hillcrest. More dashing takes place as they become… well, the audience gets the idea.

These multiple changes are handled nicely, with the help of a three person backstage dressers' crew, who transform their actors back on stage in time to keep the action flowing. The set design by Robert Laviolette, who also directs the show, carries the penny dreadful theme through the comedy with portraits that come alive, secret panels, and an Egyptian tomb, complete with a golden sarcophagus. This fast paced and comically convoluted plot takes participants on a pulp fiction adventure from the moors at Hillcrest to the deserts of Egypt, in an effort to discover just what “The Mystery of Irma Vep” actually is.

Sweet Honey In The Rock

UMass Fine Arts Center, Amherst, MA

www.umass.edu.fac/

November 8, 2013

by Eric Sutter

The female African American acapella group Sweet Honey In The Rock sang a spectacular set with a live jazz trio that they dubbed the Honey Men. The men, Parker McAllister on bass, Jovol Bell on drums/percussion and Stacey Wade on piano/keyboard served as a tasty jazzy side dish to the soulful main course female harmonies.

This was a celebration tribute to four out-spoken musical icons: Nina Simone, Odetta, Miriam Makeba and Abbey Lincoln. The evening featured unique African music as in Makeba's South African chant, "Shuka, Shuka (Choo Choo Song)" which sounded like a steam engine. Female harmony and hand claps supplemented Odetta's, "I Can't Afford To Lose My Man." A beautifully sung solo vocal by N. B. Casel on Simone's "If I Should Lose You" was matched by Stacey Wade's earnest piano solo. Aisha Kahlil interpreted Simone's "Feelin' Good" with sign interpreter Shirley Childress doing an outstanding job. Louise Robinson highlighted "Trouble In Mind" with the sweet added Honey Men refrain, "She's Got Trouble In Mind." "Pata Pata" solicited lively audience dance participation that revved up the fun factor.

The next theme focused on the Civil Rights movement. Kudos to sound director Art Steele for his creative talents as the girls sang "Oh Freedom," "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round," "I'm On My Way To Freedom Land", and "Glory, Glory Hallelujah." The Abbey Lincoln tribute included "Down Here Below," "The Music Is The Magic" and a spirited "I'm In Love." Robinson rocked Odetta's mind-blowing "God's Gonna Cut You Down" with a powerful message.

The performance seemed to flow with music that touched all aspects of life. A jazzy rendition of "Let There Be Peace On Earth" was silky smooth. Sweet Honey closed with a sultry West African Makeba song, "My Love Has Come" which showcased an infectious keyboard solo. The encore, "N' diarabi/Africa Is Where My Heart Lies" was a hand percussion soother with colorful imagery of African skies, valleys, and mountains.

World Blues with Taj Mahal

Mahaiwe, Great Barrington, MA

www.mahaiwe.org

November 3, 2013

by Eric Sutter

A beacoup of blues entertained a lively audience at the Mahaiwe. Fredericks Brown opened with a contemporary soul-blues set. Vocalist Deva Mahal, the daughter of Taj Mahal, proved to be a powerful blues tinged soul singer with "Can't Pretend." Their musical blend included Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me." Keyboardist Stephanie Brown added a nice touch as Mahal performed the passionate soul hand-clapper "Everybody Deserves To Be Free." Watch for their rise!

International artist Vusi Mahlasela from South Africa stressed the need for Ubuntu (kindness) in "A Prayer For Our Time." During "Say Africa," he urged the audience to sing along as he danced for the joy of his homeland. Next, was a dedication of "My Song Of Love" to the women of South Africa, sounding especially beautiful through its many tones and pitches, in both Zula and English languages. 

     

Taj Mahal Trio performed a blues happy set. Mahal spoke of the world gone crazy with everyday "Uh Oh" news. The trio lit up with "I Used To Be Down, But I Ain't Down Anymore." The master multi-instrumentalist played many guitars. "Fishin' Blues" sounded clean on acoustic guitar. Mahal's bluesy rasp worked to great effect on his classic songs.

Mahal carries the torch for roots music. On ukelele, the star played the traditional jug band song "Wild About My Lovin'" that  danced friskily. His banjo jubilee was pure magic. Mahlasela joined in for a world-music acoustic guitar duet "Zanzibar" with a haunted vocal blend. Mahal swept away the audience with the low rumble of his resonator guitar as he dueted sweetly with his daughter on "Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes." Guest keyboardist John Savitt became the swingin' part of the encore, "Ain't Gwine Whistle Dixie No More". The avalanche of sound prompted an audience soul-clap. In the aftermath, every player joined in the bustin' loose thrill of "Everybody Is Somebody."

The Game’s Afoot

Wilbraham United Players, Wilbraham, MA

www.wilbrahamunitedplayers.com

through November 10, 2013

by Eric Johnson

 “Dying is easy, comedy is hard," an oft repeated quip in the theatrical community. If comedy is hard, then farce is a monumental task indeed. Author Ken Ludwig offers up a nice foundation for some out of control, sidesplitting hysteria that doesn’t quite hit the mark in this production.

Greg Trochlil did a very nice job on the set design with functional elements that help bring the castle setting to life.

Pace and energy are the key to pulling off a farce of this ilk and, although there were some very funny moments, this performance never quite conveys the obligatory sense of urgency and impending doom consistently. One of the aforementioned funny moments comes at the beginning of Act II with Kevin Bechard as William Gillette and Heath Verrill as Felix Geisel. Theirs is an enjoyable synergy between the two characters and the scene rolls along nicely.

In general, the acting is good yet understated, almost as if there was a fear of going over the top. The character of Daria (played by Patricia Colkos) seems to be particularly underplayed. This role is begging for some scenery chewing, which just doesn't happen. Perhaps it can in upcoming performances.

This show has the potential to be quite good, the director and cast just need to release the brakes and trust their instincts.

Dracula

Westfield Theater Group, Westfield, MA

www.westfieldtheatregroup.com

through November 2, 2013

by Eric Johnson

Community theatre:  a full time hobby and passion for those involved, and an opportunity to see our family, friends, and neighbors do something they love.

Creating a musical comedy from a story is quite an undertaking, and finding the laughs in Bram Stokers chilling 1897 Gothic horror novel is not a challenge to be taken lightly. The team of Kathleen Palmer and Marion Dunk of Westfield Theater Group rose to the occasion and did just that: wrote a comical, family-friendly take on the original vampire story.  

The cast of 30+ actors, comprised of WTG veterans and some newcomers, all appeared to be having a wonderful experience on the stage, working together to create an evening of entertainment for an enthusiastic audience. Special kudos to Jay Torres for stepping into the lead role, and doing an admirable job of it, with only a few days notice. Generally, there are no understudies in community theatre, so the company prays to the theatre deities to keep all healthy through the run. Most of the time they come through, but not always.

"Dracula's band is ably led by composer/music director Marion Dunk through the 25 (give or take) musical numbers that drive the 2 hour 40 minute show. Several of the numbers are plainly exposition, such as “Woman’s Work," a solo for Keri Klee (role of Mina). No crime there however, as this is oftentimes done in professional theatre as well. 

A bit of scene stealing is good for some memorable comic moments courtesy of Gene Choquette (Van Helsing), Carol Palmer (Cneaja), Rock Palmer (Sam), and John Farrel (Quincy).

For those seeking some enjoyable, family friendly Halloween entertainment, Westfield Theater Group's family, friends, and neighbors provide it with "Dracula."

Anatomy of a Melody

Close Encounters with Music, Mahaiwe, Great Barrington, MA

www.cewm.org

October 19, 2013

by Barbara Stroup

Because the concert title seemed to require it, and to bring clarity to the evolution of this world premiere, some background explanation was provided at this Close Encounters' concert. Cellist Yehua Hanani provided cogent details so that the audience would have a more critically tuned ear for the appearances of a singular musical element. Hanani described the source of the melody, the early opera tune “Love the Sailor,” helping listeners to further appreciate the skill composers use as they weave variations over a single theme.
Beethoven, for instance, used it in the 3rd movement of his piano trio Opus #11.

The highlight of the evening was the premiere performance of a commission by composer Paul Schoenfield who titled his use of the theme “Shaatnez for Ady.” Ady was present in the audience and far from alone in appreciating this modern composition. The piece was complex, tuneful, harmonic, bright, and the conclusion brought the audience to its feet. The piece was generously commissioned through the organization itself and if only every local musical group could manage this same generosity, audiences could continue to revel in Schoenfield’s skills.

For the trio and the commissioned piece, Hanani was joined on the stage by Miriam Fried (violin) and Renana Gutman (piano). These musicians exemplified all that is best about chamber music – a sensitivity to each other’s line when required, and a joy at leading when that opportunity was clearly their own. Perfectly balanced as a threesome, the sound periodically blurred during the final piece by Brahms. Perhaps the change from three lines to four was too abrupt for this venue or too sudden for these ears.

The venue itself deserves mention: the Mahaiwe has magic as one approaches the twinkling neon marquee and is drawn into the renovated facility, which shines in its refurbished state and lends itself to happy audiences with good sightlines and fine acoustics. Both this pleasant atmosphere and the early hour of the performance lent a feeling of being in the artists’ living room for an intimate evening of music making

This concert marks the beginning of the “Close Encounters with Music” season, which includes five more concerts between now and June 2014 at various venues in the Great Barrington area.

Picnic

Theater Guild of Hampden, Hampden MA

www.theatreguildofhampden.com

through October 27, 2013

by Eric Johnson

Attraction, animal magnetism, chemistry, lust. Call it what you will, it is in the air at this production of William Inge’s 1953 play, "Picnic." Andrew Ingham as the handsome, boorish Hal Carter, and Brianna Paine as the beautiful and vapid Madge Owens display a steamy chemistry on stage from the first time their eyes meet.

Director Mark Giza has made excellent choices in casting, as all of the players seem relaxed and comfortable in the skins of their characters.

Heath Verrill’s portrayal of Alan Seymour is spot on, if a bit cliché. That is not to be taken as a negative, as this play is full of cliché that begs to be served. There is no ambiguity in Verrill’s performance -- he is the textbook good catch who cannot quite keep Madge’s attention when Hal comes to town. Brad Shepard and Tracey Hebert provide wonderful comic moments as Howard and Rosemary in scene stealing, scenery chewing, supporting roles. Other actors shine: Darlene Cloutier, Gail Weber, and Mindy Meeker. Millie Owens and Bomber are delightful supporting characters, ably played by KK Walulak and Ian Weber. Jeanne Wysocki gives a heart-rending performance that elicits some audible sobs from the opening night audience.

The intimacy of the space works well for this production. The audience is not insulated by distance from the intensity that this fine cast brings to life from Inge’s script. The staging does face some challenges, but they are well handled by Josiah Dunham, who has crafted an impressive set featuring two separate and complete houses.

If any criticism can be made, it is picky, and forgivable. Anachronisms. Stonewashed blue jeans were not sold in 1953; ear piercings were only on the lobes, etc.

At its core, the play is about choices and consequences. This production of "Picnic" contains good, solid choices, and strong chemistry. The consequence is a show well worth seeing.