BWW Reviews: Bay Street's TRAVESTIES

When you see the play Travesties, it will probably make you feel like your brain haywired a bit. Don't worry, though, that's supposed to happen. Tom Stoppard's Tony Award winning play, running through July 20th at Sag Harbor's beautiful Bay Street Theatre, is brilliantly constructed for many "What?!" moments.

Above everything, however, the Gregory Boyd directed production boasts a fantastic cast lead hilariously by stage and screen star - and Tony nominee - Richard Kind. Michael Benz, familiar from television's Downton Abbey, also gives a stellar performance. Similarly well received from the enthusiastic audience was Carson Elrod recognizable from Broadway's Peter and the Starcatcher among many T.V. and film credits. And rounding out the rest of the first-rate cast is Andrew Weems, Aloysius Gigl, Julia Motyka, Emily Trask, and Isabel Keating.

The story centers on Henry Carr, portrayed hysterically by Mr. Kind. He is an older gentleman reminiscing to the audience about his time in Zürich, Switzerland, during the First World War recalling his encounters with influential figures. This includes author James Joyce (Mr. Elrod), Tristan Tzara (Mr. Benz) during the rise of Dada, and Lenin (Mr. Weems).

That is pretty much where anything makes sense. You see, Carr's memory becomes, let's say, prone to distractions. The characters are eccentrically and humorously interpreted, or misinterpreted, in his mind making some of the stories fragmented and jumbled. We've all been there when someone we know goes off on a tangent.

Additionally, Mr. Stoppard uses many theatrical devices in the story including puns and limericks of these historical figures. Interestingly, Stoppard also uses Oscar Wilde's play The Importance of Being Earnest and Carr's mixed feelings surrounding it as an outline for the play. In fact, two characters in Travesties are versions of two characters from Earnest - Gwendolen (Ms. Motyka) and Cecily (Ms. Trask).

Another highlight is the beautiful set done by Neil Patel and Caleb Levengood. A linier design on the floor, though busy, makes the stage seem larger that it is. This was wonderfully enhanced by Rui Rita's lighting and John Gromada's sound design. Also entertaining was several stage hands were involved in the play and the actors had fun with them. Although one of my pet peeves is the blatant changing of scenery, they made it funny and, frankly, it worked.

And so the Bay Street Theatre certainly has another hit with their entertaining incarnation of Travesties. Will you be able to follow it in its entirety? Probably not... as I was walking out the theatre I was slightly baffled and overheard people trying to figure out points of the story. But, to quote a handout from the playbill, "It's OK that Travesties does not all make rational sense - if fact, that is exactly Stoppard's point".

Travesties is presented by the Bay Street Theatre of Sag Harbor, Long Island, through July 20th. By Sir Tom Stoppard, directed by Gregory Boyd, Scenic Design by Neil Patel & Caleb Levengood, Lighting Design by Rui Rita, Costume Design by Judith Dolan & Whitney Adams, Sound Design by John Gromada, Prop Design by Kathy Fabian, Stage Management by Rob Chikar, Fight Direction by Rick Sordelet, Dialect Coaching by Pamela Prather. For more information and to purchase tickets, please call 631-725-9500 or visit www.baystreet.org.

Photo by Jerry Lamonica: Front: Richard Kind, Second Row (L to R): Carson Elrod, Julia Motyka, Emily Trask, Michael Benz, Third Row (L To R): Andrew Weems, Aloysius Gigl, and Isabel Keating.