'The Foreigner' Delights at Cockpit-in-Court

Usually audiences are correct about being entertained. The Cockpit-in-Court's production in Essex has been selling out every night and now I know why. It's terrific!! Too bad it ends its short run Sunday afternoon, Aug. 5.

I haven't attended a production in their cabaret theater since Blood Brothers, many years ago. But, the stage in a converted student lounge is so comfortable to enjoy theater.  You are seated at tables like in a dinner theater and what choices to bring with you. Besides soft drinks and wine, there's a nice selection of fresh fruit, cheese cake and other delectable munchies.

The Foreigner is a great choice for any community theater. It was first produced at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre in 1983 and it was named one of the best regional theater plays for the season. It then made its way Off-Broadway in November of 1984 and overcame negative reviews to play 685 performances and recoup its $250,000 investment.  Matthew Broderick, Frances Sternhagen, and Kevin Cahoon  starred in a revival done by the Roundabout Theatre Company and this season the Olney Theatre Center had a successfully version.

The idea of the play stems from Shue studying with a theater company in Japan in 1980. He realized the Japanese tolerated all sorts of behavior since he was a "foreigner".  Shue also wrote the popular "The Nerd" (produced on Broadway in 1987) before dying in a plane crash in 1985. What a loss this has been.

Now to the Cockpit production.  I greatly anticipated seeing the play for the first time and I was not disappointed. Director James Hunnicutt does a masterly job letting the comedy come through with a terrific cast.  I do wish that if characters are arriving from a rain storm outside, why not drench them with water or at least have umbrellas dripping wet?

I loved the character of Froggy Le Sueur by J.R. Lyston who plays a British military specialist who knows how to blow things up. He nails the British accent so well, if Cockpit ever decides to do the Tony-winning play The History Boys (and it would work great in this small intimate space), I highly recommend him for the lead.  In what must be one of the most-sought-after roles in theater (Charlie Baker), Steve Pospisil has so much fun in the role of the "foreigner". His shy, amusing character turns into a tour-de-force performance combining pantomime, dancing, storing telling, and his wonderful blank stares. Another stand-out performance is Drew Gaver as the somewhat slow-witted Ellard who "teaches" English to the "foreigner".  At intermission, I found myself mimicking the process by saying (to myself)… siiiiink, fauuuuucet, paaaaaper. You get the idea. I was sitting next to the actor's family and they loved his performance as much as I!  The rest of the case deserves kudos as well, Susan Gonzalez, Courtney Ryan, H. Ray Lawson, and Joey Hellman.

This production could sell-out one more week-end.   Sunday, Aug. 5 is your last chance to see The Foreigner and their musical Aida. For tickets, call 410-780-6369.

In the audience Friday night was one of the Deans of Baltimore Theater, F. Scott Black and I'd like to wish him congratulations for becoming the Dean of Liberal Arts at CCBC at Essex.

For comments, write to cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.

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