Review: THE GOOD DEVIL (IN SPITE OF HIMSELF) at WSC Avant Bard

It turns out that there's a reason that WSC Avant Bard's production of The Good Devil (In Spite of Himself starts 15 minutes late. The actors who are running frantically back and forth for last minute details and consultation are actually already in character.

The Italian couple who are also traveling theatrical presenters had just lost their entire cast just before this performance, in a 17th century small town square in France. How could they possibly put on their planned production of Faust?

Just when they decided to try and perform all the parts themselves, they were met with a bigger problem: A royal decree meant to shut down theater declared that dialogue could no longer be spoken on stage.

Well, that would take some adjustment. Would they have to perform it all silent-movie style, with its pantomime, broad gesture and printed titles? Not necessarily.

Here's a loophole: characters can't dialogue but they can issue one-person monologues. Easier yet: They can dialogue without standing on the wooden platform that is their stage. Or, instead of saying lines, they can sing them.

The frenzied cast of The Good Devil does just that, throwing in some forgettable ditties on guitar amid the clamor, jumping on and off stage, to tell the story of The Devil and selling one's soul.

The impresarios, played by Matthew Aldwin McGee and Natalie Cutcher, are unwittingly aided in their dramatic efforts by the very messenger who has sent the decree that's punishable by death. It turns out he has some budding dramatic yearnings as well and fills in all too well as The Devil.

The Good Devil was created from an open rehearsal at a WSC Avant Bard "Scripts in Play" festival. It's directed by Tyler Herman, who co-wrote it with Mario Baldessari, whose previous work includes Fat Gay Jew and co-writing The Every Fringe Show You Want to See in One Fringe Show Fringe Show.

The Good Devil retains the knockabout excess of a Fringe show with big movement, sprawling fights, practiced summersaults and more yelling than one needs to endure for 90 minutes. And compared to the succinct length of most Fringe experiments, this one seems to go on way too long.

If the audience reaction at the open rehearsal affected the finished work, as executive director Tom Prewitt claims in the program, it was certainly a different audience opening night, who barely uttered a sound during some of the broadest comedy moves.

For all of the dramaturg-derived background provided on the style of commedia dell'arte, one learns more from the performance about the Punch and Judy style of staged conflict. And yes, there are boxing puppets involved at some point as well.

There was a little audience participation but not much. Yes, we had to wait for the thing to start because, we were slow to learn, we were that audience in the French town square waiting for something to happen. Occasionally viewers were asked to hide something or would actually answer rhetorical questions.

The high point came when The Devil threw somebody's captured soul, encapsulated as a clear plastic super ball, and threw it, hitting a front row customer on first bounce. Whatever hell there was to pay after that in the performance (and yes, hell makes an appearance) was all due to that misstep.

The trio of actors is stronger than the material.. McGee is a keen master of many approaches; Cutcher expressive beyond the many masks she has to wear (and in jutting her neck out with one of them, quite animated). Wilder is stuck in some ways as the heavy, the also throws himself into the performance. Despite the setting, all speak in English accents because they're fun to do (but at least they address this in the script).

Lynly Saunders has made some lovely costumes, which are also versatile enough for quick-change. Brian Gillick's set veers from generic to complicated, with plywood doors, but a functioning town fountain. And Jason Aufdem-Brinke's lights are at first annoying - this play seems to be taking place at blazing high noon at the square. But the descent into Hades is better.

With Capital Fringe upon us, there will doubtless be more of these costumed and accented excesses before us. But at least there will be timed limitations.

Running time: 95 minutes, no intermission.

Photo credit: Natalie Cutcher and Matthew Aldwin McGee in WSC Avant Bard's "The Good Devil (in Spite of Himself)." Photo by C. Stanley Photography

The Good Devil (In Spite of Himself) by WSC Avant Bard continues through July 17 at the Gunston Arts Center Theatre Two, 2700 South Lang St., Arlington, VA. Call 703-418-4808 or visit online.

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