November 14, 2011
by James GartlerThe Suburban
How far would you go to spare a friend a broken heart? If you're a playwright with a show on the line, you'd probably go farther than most, at least according to The Play's the Thing. The Segal Centre's production of the three-act comedy by Ferenc Molnar proves that with a little creativity involved, a tragic reality can be turned into theatrical hilarity - but only with the help of the right cast.
To that end, director Blair Williams has assembled a winning group of local actors to bring to life this witty tale of an impromptu vacation gone wrong. Paul Hopkins and James Kidnie star as Sandor and Mansky, two lifelong collaborators who bring their young composer Albert (Chris Barillaro) to an Italian castle to meet up with his fiancee, the lovely Prima Donna Ilona (Jessica B. Hill). Before they can announce their arrival, however, the trio overhears Ilona passionately reuniting with her former mentor Almady (Michael Rudder) in the dead of night. Distraught at the thought of another man's hands caressing his muse, Albert threatens to destroy his compositions, prompting Sandor to cook up a scheme that will save the diva's reputation and bring the two back together before the affair ruins their chances of having another hit show.
First staged on Broadway in 1926, The Play's the Thing remains something of a throwback to an era before rapid-fire zingers became the norm in comedy. Instead, these characters cheekily muse on the nature of theatre as a way of introducing themselves, and proceed to pleasantly banter back and forth while the tension slowly ratchets up. As the confident and clever Sandor, Hopkins perfectly embodies the playwright who "won't read the morning paper unless there's something about (him) in it." With his cleft chin and relaxed smile, he also looks like he stepped right out of a vintage photograph. Kidnie makes a capable Watson to his Sherlock, wisely questioning his friend's logic as a "tender pessimist who doesn't enjoy being right."
Some of the best laughs come courtesy of Chip Chuipka, who plays the stoic butler charged with attending to his distracted guests. For making so much of a supporting role, Chuipka must be applauded. Ultimately, it falls to Rudder to make the premise pay off in the third act, when Almady is called to atone for his indiscretions by having his masculinity cut down to size. Thankfully, he does not disappoint. Channeling Jim Broadbent in Moulin Rouge! throughout the course of his tongue-twisting monologue, Rudder's energy and commitment to the material left the opening night audience in stitches.
Though one may have hoped to hear more piano playing from the talented Barillaro (an accomplished pianist whom many will remember from Schwartz's: The Musican, The Play's the Thing proves a charming evening of entertainment. Do eat a hearty supper beforehand though, as there's ample talk of bacon, eggs, peaches and champagne throughout the performance. And, as Mansky jests, "audiences always like to see actors eating!"
The Play's the Thing runs at The Segal Centre until Nov. 20. For ticket information, visit www.segalcentre.org