Review: BOEING-BOEING at DreamWrights Center For Community Arts

The French farce Boeing-Boeing was originally written by Marc Camoletti and premiered in Paris in 1960. It was translated into English by Beverley Cross and Francis Evans, and the English adaptation was performed in 1962 at the Apollo Theatre in London. The play is set in the 1960s at Bernard's Paris apartment. Bernard is engaged to three airline stewardesses, whom he manages to keep secret from one another by following a tightly controlled schedule based on their departure and arrival dates. The advent of the much faster Boeing jet disrupts his careful planning at the same time that his friend from Wisconsin, Robert, comes to visit. Hilarity ensues as the men, with help from Bernard's housekeeper Berthe, attempt to keep the women in the dark. Boeing-Boeing is a fast-paced farce. Its success is dependent on good comedic timing and excellent chemistry between the actors. The cast of Boeing-Boeing at DreamWrights Center for Community Arts, under the direction of Izzy Masquelier and Shana MacCoy, with stage manager Skye Williams, brings both of these elements to the stage.

The cast includes James Manjo (Bernard), Tree Zuzzio (Robert), Samantha Timothy (Berthe), Hannah Kuhn (Gloria), Deidre Casey (Gabriella), and Sarah Garber (Gretchen). Samantha Timothy is delightful as the sarcastic, overworked, no-nonsense maid Berthe. Timothy works well with Manjo and Zuzzio as they race around the stage while delivering rapid-fire dialogue. Kuhn is smart, elegant, and cunning as the TWA airline hostess Gloria. Kuhn's vocal inflection and hand gestures give the character a sophisticated air. Casey's Gabriella (the Italian flight attendant) is wonderfully vivacious and flirty, and the audience cannot help but root for her. Garber takes on the role of the German stewardess Gretchen. Garber's interactions with Zuzzio are hysterical and demonstrate perfect comedic timing.

While the entire cast has tremendous energy that draws the audience into the story, Manjo and Zuzzio really steal the spotlight. Their facial expressions, body language, and line delivery are spot-on. Manjo's Bernard is smooth and suave until Bernard's carefully crafted system breaks down-then the audience literally sees the character start to fall apart as Manjo expresses Bernard's panic. Zuzzio gives one of the best performances of the evening as the nervous and nerdy Robert. Zuzzio is mesmerizing-a master of physical comedy.

The costumes (designed by Elise Lanteigne-Marrow), set (designed by Jay Schmuck), props (designed by Marshall Storm), lighting (designed by Sebastian Williams), and music (designed by Delaney McBride) all work well together to invite the audience into the 1960s.

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