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Writing for Us
A CurtainUp Review
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Why don't you touch me anymore? Is there somebody else?—
4-year old Lucy to imaginary Mr. Marmalade
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Amanda Schoonover as Lucy
(Photo: Cory Frisco) |
Lucy is a lonely little girl whose divorced mother, mother's boyfriends, and babysitters don't have time to fit her into their lives. She overhears a lot of tawdry grownup stuff. She can't read, but in her pretend world she can chatter with sophistication about sex, health insurance, cocaine, and detox. Her imaginary friend, Mr. Marmalade, spews abusive language and when she protests, she has him shout, "Shut up. You love it." Yet she is still a little girl, one who insists that people "pinky swear" their promises.
A complaint heard from some quarters is that even a precocious 4-year old wouldn't be capable of this kind of sordid adult vocabulary, much less the behavior. That criticism misses the point as this is not a realistic play. The impossibly glib Lucy, as played by Amanda Schoonover, is captivating. Ms. Schoonover manages to be little girlish without assuming a fake little voice or descending into cutesy and coy, which makes the excesses that occur all the more appalling. Her sweet vulnerability in the role allows her character to imagine unthinkable acts that invade her make-believe life without allowing her to become less worthy of our sympathy. The rest of the strong cast includes Jeb Kreager, a smooth Mr. Marmalade; Kristyn Chouiniere, the mother; Charlotte Ford, the babysitter; Matt Pfeiffer, the boyfriend, and Robert DaPonte as Larry, Lucy's new, real, and suicidal 5-year old friend. Dan Hodge as the imaginary Mr. M's imaginary personal assistant, Bradley, embodies the pert, professional and warm aspects of his well written character in a delightful way.
One problem —-drawing the line between playing a real character and an imaginary one must be tough for director and actors. While the choice to play Emily (the babysitter) and George (the boyfriend) as caricatures rather than actual people garners big easy laughs, it also makes them resemble figments of the imagination, which is on the other side of the divide.— Unless the point is to make the actual characters seem less real than the imagined ones, in which case the mother and the little friend would be inconsistently real.
Unlike the fantasy settings in other productions, this nondescript living room set is dull. Ordinary is a wonderful design and lighting choice for showing dismal reality that must be escaped. Still, in acknowledgement of the play's whimsical aspects, a large cut-out crescent moon hangs in the sky, and later a hidden fantasy area will be revealed upstage where "Dream Lover" will be sung. Transgression is the muscle of Noah Haidle's play, and its inappropriateness is funny. However, a price is exacted for the laughs as it crosses the boundary between funny and really-not-funny, to deal with abandonment, very uncomfortable overtones, and a disturbing act done in desperation. Far from suggesting that abuse and neglect are to be taken lightly, Mr. Marmalade looks like a cautionary tale in its secret heart.
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Mr. Marmalade
by Noah Haidle Directed by Joe Canuso Cast: Amanda Schoonover, Jeb Kreager, Kristyn Chouiniere, Charlotte Ford, Matt Pfeiffer, Robert DaPonte, Dan Hodge Scenic Design: Matt Saunders Costume Design: Millie Hiibel Sound Design: Christopher Colucci Lighting Design: Paul Moffitt Theatre Exile at Christ Church Neighborhood House, N. American St. Running time 1 hr and 20 mins. No intermission Nov 1- Nov 25 Opening 11/07/07 Reviewed by Kathryn Osenlund based on 11/07 performance |
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Wicked
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