by Sue Nedar
Spring has
sprung at The Newport Playhouse, and the current offering (which runs through
May 25th) is Clothes Encounter, by Roger Karshner. A frolicking,
madcap farce, replete with risque double entendres, mistaken identities,
and sexual innuendo.
As the story goes, Mr. and Mrs. Masters are realtors who are somehow separately
showing a house to Mr. and Mrs. Parker. Mr. Masters’ client is Mrs.
Parker, and Mrs. Masters’ client is Mr. Parker. Are you with me so
far? Do you see where this is going?
The sellers, of course, are away; and the house is in the care of Heinz, the Eastern European handyman, who has a love of very large tomatoes, and a knack for eviscerating the English language. Soon, shenanigans ensues. Because, well … Mrs Parker is attractive but sex-starved, since Mr. Parker is more interested in watching National Geographic in bed, than he is watching his wife. And because Mrs. Parker is notoriously jealous of her oh-so-faithful and uptight husband.
Anyway, once all the parties arrive, the laughs are non-stop!
Under the direction of W. Richard Johnson, the gags are plentiful, the timing is perfect, and the laughs are well deserved.
Alan Masters is played by Newport Playhouse veteran Rick Bagley. Bagley is the quintessential straight man to both Sandi Nicastro who plays his jealous wife, Kathy Masters, and Pamela Gill who plays the sexpot Betty Parker. Bagley has sweating being seduced down to a tee!
Meanwhile, Gill gives Betty Parker everything the author wrote, and more. She’s appropriately inappropriate at all the right times, and she speaks volumes with her facial expressions.
Sandi Nicastro, another well known Newport Playhouse veteran also doesn’t disappoint. You come to expect that iconic Lucille Ball type comedy from Sandi, and as always, she delivers in spades.
Mr. Parker, the National Geographic super fan, is played by yet another Playhouse veteran; Tony Annicone. Annicone proves once again that he is the master of long and difficult monologues. He delivers the very dry and dead pan comedy flawlessly. And what would an American farce be without someone onstage in their underwear?! Wait for it! Tony will make you laugh out loud!
The cast is rounded out by Matthew Johnson who plays the big oaf handyman Heinz. This was my first time seeing Johnson onstage, and I was absolutely impressed with his fabulous Eastern European accent, which he never lost, even for a second, onstage. This young man Matthew Johnson has fabulously innate comedic talent, and is an absolute hoot in this role!
Some comedies are funnier than others. This one is funnier than most. It’s a funny script, directed by a skillful director, acted by a terrific cast.
If
you’re looking for a night of belly laughs, preceded by a delicious all you can
eat buffet, run… do not walk… to The Newport Playhouse and see Clothes
Encounters. You won’t be sorry!
Clothes Encounters plays April 4 through May 25, 2019
Newport Playhouse: 401-848-7529 or visit them at: www.newportplayhouse.com
