Blasny! Blasny! "The Foreigner" at Timonium Dinner Theatre

◊◊◊ out of five. 

Larry Shue's viciously funny comedy The Foreigner seems to be getting quite the revival in the Baltimore area.  The production of the play which opened earlier this summer at Lorenzo's Timonium Dinner Theatre is the second of three I'll have reviewed in as many months.  As directed by Sid Curl, this production is going for the heavy laughs, with little concern for the serious undertones of its subject matter (not the least of which is the KKK and white supremacy).  And Mr. Curl has gone with a quite valid interpretation, as Mr. Shue's works are all comedy first, "message" second.  He has made sure that things go at a steady, but not breakneck pace, with his naturalistic blocking having the characters move smoothly throughout the space.  This Foreigner is quite funny and for the most part quite winning.

The theatre space that makes up the Timonium Dinner Theatre is pretty atypical.  The room has enormous ceilings, and given the relative size of the entire space, that which has been given over to performances space is relatively small.  The tiered seating, though, is excellent.  One imagines that any seat in the house is a good seat.  Those high ceilings could be a nightmare, but here, with well placed microphones and excellent projection by the entire company, the sound is terrific – not a word lost, even during some loud thunder effects.  What is odd, technically, about the space is that there are no light batons over the stage, so all lighting comes from instruments aimed at the stage from the back.  It does not detract from the show at all, but it may be the first time I've seen a show lit entirely from the front, and it takes some getting used to.  That said, Diana C. Senatore's lighting is good, with no real shadows and a clear view at all times.  Scenic Artists (there is no set designer listed) Zaius Marsalek and Jim Gearhardt did the best they could, I suppose, given the limited space afforded this one set show.  They do manage to squeeze in a trap door platform and a staircase to an unseen second floor.  Where the design is lacking is in decoration – the wooden planks, noted by jagged black lines of paint, are not that appealing to look at, and in places look like small children were given a go with the brush.  Still, they have furnished the space well, managing to create three distinct playing areas – a dining room, a front desk area and a living room space.  This is no small fete.   

The real appeal, and coincidentally, the downfall of this production is in its casting.  I should mention at the get go that at the performance I attended, the audience, made up largely of senior senior citizens was on the small side, and while we were all giving the company our fullest attention, the voluminous laughter they get on other nights with a larger, younger crowd probably generates more spunk on both sides of the footlights.  They were also working with an understudy in a major role, which always changes the dynamic, as both actresses probably play the role vastly different. 

The understudy, at least, knows the show well.  Maureen Rogers, in the role of Betty Meeks, owner of the lodge where the play takes place (replacing Erin Cassell, off performing in Oliver! at Theatre on the Hill), played the same part at Laurel Mill Playhouse last month.  Her performance, which I then described as "absolutely hilarious when trying to communicate with her foreign guest and even more a riot when she finds herself running around trying to keep everyone happy while her lodge is under siege.  While her accent slips, occasionally, Ms. Rogers has a firm grasp on old school Southern ways" remains valid.   That critique still stands, though she seems a bit more at home in the role here, nailing several more jokes.  Ms. Rogers has also developed a natural feeling rapport with her cast mates.   

Less successful in their roles are Jim Gerhardt as the Reverend Lee and Jason Michael Maur as Owen Musser.  Mr. Gearhardt has little reverend-like bearing, and seems focused on playing the more sinister aspects of his character which are revealed as the play progresses.  Having seen the play before, I understood what he was about, but it would certainly be confusing to someone less familiar.  At the least, it takes quite a bit away from the dramatic punch of the significant plot twists later in the play.  Owen Musser, Southern hick redneck personified, also has a seriously mean side, but not as played by Mr. Maur, who does a decent imitation of Yosemite Sam, but never varies the one note of his performance.  The result is a performance that is funny at first and rather dull by the end, which in turn takes quite a bit out of the ending of the play.

Kristin Rigsby, as the reverend's fiancé, Catherine, starts out a bit shaky, with many lines coming out in somewhat of a monotone of nagging quality.  But it soon becomes apparent that this is her device to show us that she is unsure of her life at the start of the play and may even be bored with it.  As the play progresses, Ms. Rigsby flourishes, showing considerable chemistry with Ms. Rogers and the other key gentlemen in the play.  Interestingly, she has the least chemistry with Mr. Gearhardt, who plays her fiancé, and in real life (according to the program biographies) is her beau!  Of course, it makes sense that they have little chemistry given that they end up REALLY not belonging together.  Michael Levy, a talented young actor does his best with the role of Froggie, whose chief purpose is to set up the relatively extensive exposition at the start of the play.  He is playing a British army officer in his mid 50's, I'd guess, and this actor can't be more than 24 or 25!  His accent is very good – realistic and consistent – and he has good timing. 

In the key role of Ellard, the half-wit brother of Catherine, John Kelso (last year's Outstanding Actor for And Then There Were None) is very funny and appropriately touching in his performance.  He has created a full character, physically and in his hilarious delivery of some real rim-shot deserving, groan-inducing jokes.  The way he trots around the stage is quite humorous and hints at how strange this poor fellow is.  He also manages to keep Ellard a half-wit with remarkable smarts.  Clearly, he has worked to show us that his character grows as his confidence does.  Kelso is magnetic on stage – when he is on, you watch him.  You can't help it.  He also has remarkable chemistry with Pat McPartlin, who plays the titular foreigner, Charlie.  You can tell the two have a natural rapport, likely because they have worked together before in And Then There Were None and in several Do or Die Productions.

 Mr. McPartlin has a tough role – one that requires a wide range of emotions, superb timing, physical comedy, and perhaps toughest of all, long expanses of time where he does not speak, but only reacts.  And when he does speak, it is often in a made up foreign tongue.  (I love it when he exclaims, "Blasny!  Blasny!")  One of the most outrageous sequences involves McPartlin and Kelso, where they discuss and eat breakfast, doing hilarious imitations of each other.  The shtick and physicality is a scream and must be exhausting and exhilarating for these actors.  Throughout, Mr. McPartlin does what any good leading actor will.  He commands the stage, anchors the production, and knows when and how to let his supporting players have their moments. 

With a nice dinner buffet, comfortable seating, and a fun show, Timonium Dinner Theatre offers a pleasant evening out.  The Foreigner runs through August 15^th.

 

PHOTOS: The Foreigner Company; John Kelso as Ellard; Kristin Rigsby as Catherine and Pat McPartlin as Charlie.  Photos courtesy of Lorenzo's Timonium Dinner Theatre.

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