By Catherine Siggins, Brits in LA Theatre Reviewer
What do Keith Richards and Noel Coward have in common? No, it’s not the allusion to drugs, or that they’re both singer/songwriters. For director Gene Franklin Smith, Keith’s observations, in his autobiography Life, of the changing societal landscape in Britain in the mid-60s, mirrored Coward’s England of the 1920s, when the lines separating the classes were swept away post-war by youth and popular culture.
Smith has edited the text, removing several supporting roles to focus more directly on the main protagonists. The play opens in keeping with this rebellious nature, with the cast looking as though they are on the cover of a Bert Kaempfert album, dancing. Greg Chun’s sound design perfectly evokes the new wildness of this time.
In a kitsch London apartment, groovily designed by Erin Walley, newly engaged Nicky Lancaster, after a debauched year in Paris, has returned to England to gain approval for his future bride, Bunty Mainwaring, from his celebrated mother Florence, a faded stage actress and learns she is being squired by Tom, a man Nicky’s own age, who is too well acquainted with his fiancée for comfort. During the ensuing weekend party at the Lancaster’s stylish Danish Modern country home, both Nicky and Florence are dumped, creating a crisis that exposes Nicky’s addiction inspired by the neglectful and abusive nature of their family history.
Victoria Hoffman is exceptional as a witty, genuine, insightful Helen, as she tries but ultimately knows she can only fail to help her much-loved friends. Skye LaFontaine, delightful as uncomplicated It-girl, Bunty, with Daniel Jimenez, recalling a young Prince Philip, as the strappingly regimental Tom Veryan, are perfect foils to Nicky and Florence. Will Carney gives a touching performance as Nicky’s defeated and withdrawn father, David Lancaster. And it is left to Cameron Mitchell Jr., as Pawnie, to supply the requisite flamboyance and facetiousness of Coward’s funniest characters, which he does with élan. Pawnie’s struggle over the chocolates was sublime.
With the battle cry, “It’s never to early for a cocktail”, Shannon Holt gives a stunning performance, playing Florence with relish. As dazzling as the costume she wears, with a kaleidoscope of colors and tones she creates a multi-faceted woman, we also see the flaws at the heart of this jewel, the isolation, desperate need for validation and denial.
As Nicky Lancaster, Craig Robert Young gives a bravura performance. He shifts beautifully between the funny, expressive, an outwardly confident young man to the little boy, who needs care. Utterly believable and heartbreaking, he shows Nicky’s struggle, disappointment, hope, yearning. With a real sense of desperation and impending violence, he had me on the edge of my seat.
The whole cast are superb and have succeeded in making these roles very much their own. If the applause at the end came rather late, as the cast returned to the stage, it was because we were all recovering our composure.
The cast is helped by fabulous costumes, hair and make-up by Brian Primeaux, Christina Culinski and Dale Johnson.
When I lived in London, I made the pilgrimage to Stratford to see great theatre. I can assure you a trip to Malibu Playhouse, though minus the swans, is easier, way warmer, has ocean views, shrimp shacks en route and is just as enriching for your artistic soul.
The Malibu Playhouse is located at 29243 Pacific Coast Hwy in Malibu. For more details and tickets, visit www.malibuplayhouse.org or www.plays411.com
