LITTLE THEATER OF VIRGINIA BEACH

Theatre Reviewer:

Andrea Chandler

January 19, 2012

While this Sondheim classic doesn’t contain his signature musical sound, “Getting Away with Murder” was still music to my ears! Presented by Little Theater of Virginia Beach and directed by Mary Lou Mahlman,“Getting Away with Murder” has what it takes to satisfy any murder mystery lover.

The story of the seven deadly sins incarnate develops as we meet seven patients preparing to have a group therapy session with a renowned psychiatrist. As the murder plot thickens so does the reasoning behind why the now deceased doctor has gathered these particular patients. With such a motley crew it seems any of them could have caused the doctor’s demise. The story is set amongst the hustle and bustle of New York City. We meet the cast in the dilapidated high rise where the doctor has his offices. The penthouse set is well constructed and contains many detailed touches that give it a great feeling of authenticity. A job, well done, by the set design and construction team headed by Leigh Strenger.

This cast is a wonderful example of the power of an ensemble! They play off the language and dark sarcastic wit with ease. The twists and turns in the script give way to some intense stage combat, which leaves the audience actually believing the actor’s safety was at risk. When you’ve done that, you know you’ve done a great job - hats off to fight choreographer Christopher Bernhardt. His excellent preparation skills shine through as the actors’ do a great job of being tossed to and fro across the stage. With such a tight knit well-oiled ensemble it’s hard to choose standouts. However the performances of Kevin Martingayle, Nic Hawk, and Sara Quilenderino were well done and full of depth and authenticity. The rest of the cast does a wonderful job of casting off suspicion and keeping the audience engaged in the story.

Stephen Sondheim and George Furth have created a wonderful “who dunnit” and the cast and crew of LTVB have done a wonderful job of bringing it to the stage once again. If you enjoy taking a look at what human nature looks like when faced with death and consequences, as well as having a great chuckle every now and then, then you should make your way to the Little Theater of Virginia Beach. “Getting Away with Murder” runs at LTVB until February 5^th, visit http://www.ltvb.com/ for more details and pricing.  

POQUOSON ISLAND PLAYERS

Theatre Reviewer:

Missy Sullivan

January 28, 2012

In it’s second show of the 2011-2012 season, the Poquoson Island Players presents Baggage by Sam Bobrick. Baggage follows two annoying thirty-something’s who accidentally take each other's bags at JFK airport, then - for reasons known only to the playwright - decide to start dating. Audiences get bad dates, break-ups, reconciliation - even a shrink peddling his books to them - and the crowd. There's kung pao chicken and the fortune "Stay away from chocolate." And of course there is that predictable ending, which throughout the play we are “advised” should not happen.

Of course, Baggage isn't really about luggage in the physical sense - the script isn't nearly that subtle. Neil Simon this isn't. Here, "baggage" refers to the fragments from past relationships - bad boyfriends, ex-wives, memories - everything keeping the characters from moving forward.

Though the play, Remember Me, was slated to be the second season’s show, Baggage was substituted in its place in order for a show d. Another interesting switch is director, Jonathan Manning, who steps in as one of the lead characters, “Bradley Naughton”. He and Holly Johnson, “Phyllis Novak”, star (and spar) as the mismatched lovers. Though connection between the two is a little slow in the first act, it picks up and is delightful as their relationship progresses. In the director’s notes, Manning states, “As you can already tell I’m not only directing the show, I’m in it as well. That is no easy task…..I hope not to disappoint”. And throughout the play he in fact does not disappoint at all. From the physical comedy of handling “baggage” to his crying jag (Bradley’s wife left him), he is the night’s most enjoyable character to watch. Even as he stumbles over lines, it only brings a humanistic quality to the character.

Miss Johnson does a fine job as the unlucky lady in love, agreeing to be in a relationship that seems headed for disaster. Though the believability of her character is not there at first, she nails it in the second act and the audience is treated to a nice chemistry between her and Manning.

Ben Jenkins plays a dopey psychiatrist, Dr. Jonathan Beauregard Alexander. He drawls out "I've got a B.A, an M.A, a B.S ..." and offers to sell his books "Couples in Combat," "Couples in Conflict" and "Couples in Hell." Jenkins does his best to play a character that is woven confusingly throughout the play, entering and exiting for no apparent reason other than to explain to the audience how the characters should react towards one another.

We are also introduced to the best friend, “Mitzi Cartright”, portrayed by Dana Clark Epstein. The audience is treated to some interesting costume choices for “Cartright” which helps to establish the hilarity of the character. Epstein tends to play the character a bit over the top, but she still delivers an enjoyable performance.

The night's best scene - by far - occurs during a break-the-wall portion of the second act. Jenkins’ shrink claims he can tell whether couples are compatible with a simple test - and calls Johnson and Manning back on stage. A simple word association game descends into madness - and strangely, potato pancakes. The comedic timing is priceless between Jenkins and Manning.

The set is great and gives us a good idea of a New York thirty-somethings’ apartment. Ken Kelley, set construction crew chief, should be commended for filling a very large stage appropriately.

Some creative elements fall short. Sound cues needed to be timed more appropriately and though lighting did a good job creating other “places” for action, one scene found Manning completely in the dark in a telephone conversation with Johnson.

Please return your seat backs and tray tables to their upright and locked positions. The Poquoson Island Players are now descending into a comedy zone with "Baggage." In my “rating system” I give this play 3 out of 5 stars.

Presented at Dr. Mary T. Christian Hall at Thomas Nelson Community College (99 Thomas Nelson Drive, Hampton, VA), Baggage continues its run February 3^rd and 4^th at 8 p.m. and the 5^th at 2:30 p.m. For more information visit their website: http://www.pipstheatre.com/