The
Wilma Theater
brings Theresa Rebeck's very funny Off-Broadway hit, "The Understudy" to Philadelphia for the first
time. This spot on look at commercial theater in America is a must see for
anyone working in the theater, studying the theater, or about to become
associated with the theater.
I
have always detested curtain speeches. For me, they are always long, dreary
affairs about donating money, buying subscriptions and turning off one's
electronic devices. Ho, hum! Well, obviously director, David Kennedy hates them
too - because opening night there wasn't one. In its stead was a very clever
trick to get you to silence your phones - or else. This three person tour de
forceowes its
success as much to Ms. Rebeck's smart writing as to the crackerjack
performances displayed by the talented cast and its excellent direction by Mr.
Kennedy.
Stage
Manager Roxanne is trying to conduct a rehearsal with Harry, the newly hired
understudy, and Jake, a Hollywood B List action actor, one of the show's
"stars". The play is a recently discovered masterpiece by the
enigmatic Franz Kafka and so far it has been a hit on Broadway. This is due in
part to the good reviews it's received and to its two Hollywood stars, Bruce
and Jake, who are bringing in big bucks at the box office. What makes this
piece so much fun is the relationships past and present between the three
characters and the author's truthful eye on how theater is produced in this
country.
Cody
Nickell is
exemplary as the neurotic, bitter, seriously minded actor, Harry. We forgive
him for being a coward and a bit of a dufus, because he is so earnest about his
craft.
The
setting is a big Broadway proscenium stage with various set pieces from a Kafka
play gliding and flying in and out. Set designer Andrew Boyce has created a proscenium that is
a beautiful replica of an old Broadway house. And the scenic pieces of a tavern,
a large windowed office and a cavernous staircase are realistically detailed
and meticulously painted. Suffice it to say that the set is too gorgeous for
words and it's a shame that it's so underused. But such are the needs or
"non-needs" of this play.
You
don't have to be "in the theater" to enjoy this show! It's a quick
and hilarious evening out for anyone and everyone.