Reviewed by Tony Annicone
The Arctic Playhouse’s current show is “13 Rue de L’Amour” by Georges Feydeau. It was written in 1892 and translated by Mawby Green and Ed Feilbert. It is about locked doors, sexual innuendoes, mistaken identity, clothes switching owners and lying continually about the circumstances in turn of the century, Paris. Justinien is a seemingly blameless husband who periodically leaves his wife Leontine to go on hunting trips. Family friend Gustave, a doctor and man about town, has his suspicions about what Justinien is really hunting. He tries to use his suspicions as a way to get Leontine to visit his bachelor pad on 13 Rue De L’Amour. The confusions begin mounting as Justinien’s young nephew, Jean-Pierre who is still a student, needs money from his uncle to entertain his own mistress; the uncle’s friend Birabeau confesses doubts about his own unseen wife; and several of the men seem to be wearing identical pants while this is going on. Add a love starved female German concierge who was a countess, at the bachelor apartment and a befuddled police inspector to the proceedings and you have the ingredients of a funny French farce to tickle your funny bone. Director Christian O’Brien infuses his cast with madcap shtick to leave you laughing in the aisles.
Christian gives each member of his cast their moment to shine in this show with the men running around in their underpants. The gorgeous authentic colorful 1890’s costumes are by Nancy Spirito while the beautiful set is by Lloyd Felix and Jim Belanger. Leading this cast is Mike Petrarca as Justinien, the seemingly innocent husband. He becomes harried and frazzled with the madness around him. His haughty behavior while trying to cover up his secret affair and his antics while escaping his mistress’ room is hilarious. Kathleen Russell plays the sultry red head Leontine, the long suffering wife who is led down a garden path by her husband. She and the man about town, doctor make bullets for his hunting rifle. She helps move the exposition of the show along with her many facial expressions and wondering why her husband continually goes away on his hunting trips. As the doctor explains hares and rabbits are from different families, she suspects her husband and when she shows up at the doctor’s apartment is when things go hysterically astray. Rick Bagley shines as the slick and smarmy, Gustave, when he displays the egotistical behavior of this character who believes he can get any woman to fall in love with him especially Leontine. His machinations and arrogant posturing as well as his proclamations of being able to woo any woman is excellently portrayed. Some of his funniest moments occur when he is making bullets for the husband by exclaiming ram it, telling her you don’t see the instrument before it’s used and singing “Angels We Have Heard on High” with Justinien to cover up Leontine being hidden in the other room.
Other colorful characters include Bob Mignarri as Birabeau who constantly complains about his wife and is happy when she is finally caught so he can divorce her at last. His character is fooled by one and all in the show. Graham Stokes as the money hungry nephew, Jean Pierre. He appears at the street of love and plants a kiss on an unsuspecting victim which won the longest laugh of the night. Denise Izzi steals the scene as the man starved German countess in the house of love. She explains why she left her husband for the lion tamer who had a huge chest while her husband had a teeny weenie. Denise wins many laughs in this role. Kathy Kimmel plays the harried inspector who has to sort out who is who. Her slow burns as this character are a riot as is when she can’t tell her left from her right. Some of the antics have to be seen to be savored and enjoyed. However since this is a farce, all things seem to work themselves out. So for a laugh a minute farce, be sure to catch “13 Rue De L’Amour” at the Arctic Playhouse.
13 RUE DE L’AMOUR (19 April to 5 May)
The Arctic Playhouse, 117 Washington Street, West Warwick, RI
1(401)573-3443 or www.thearcticplayhouse.com
