THE FARCE AWAKENS: FEYDEAU X 2 to Open at Odyssey Theatre
Daniel Passer directs GOING TO POT and STARK NAKED, featuring Rachel Avery, Justin Blanchard, and more.
What could possibly go wrong? In the hands of Georges Feydeau, just about everything! Odyssey Theatre Ensemble will present The Farce Awakens: Feydeau x 2, an evening of two one-act comedies by the master French farceur, directed by Cirque du Soleil clown Daniel Passer. The production opens October 31, with performances continuing through January 17 at the Odyssey's three-theater complex in West L.A. Three low-priced previews take place Oct. 28–30.
Wild plots and quicksilver wit characterize the plays of Georges Feydeau. Considered by many to be the greatest master of French comedy since Molière, Feydeau was famous for his mathematical precision in timing, door-slamming choreography, and themes of mistaken identity and marital chaos.
With Going to Pot and Stark Naked, Feydeau pulls out all the stops, plunging his characters into a dizzying, surreal whirlwind of complications. The two one-acts are part of the famous French vaudevillian's “marriage” collection, written late in his career as his comedy grew increasingly anarchic. Domestic disagreements explode into madness and mayhem, as people pushed to their limits behave in increasingly outrageous, and hilarious, ways.
Passer will direct the two one-acts in true repertory style, with each of the six actors — Rachel Avery, Justin Blanchard, Barry Del Sherman, Julie Mann, Ryan Nebreja and Kody Nelson — performing in both plays.
In Going to Pot (translation by Norman R. Shapiro), a chaotic domestic dispute completely derails a high-stakes business deal. Follavoine (Del Sherman) has invented an unbreakable chamber pot that he hopes to sell to the French military. But when a high-ranking official from the War Ministry (Blanchard) arrives for a demonstration, their meeting is utterly disrupted by Follavoine's wife (Mann), who is consumed by a domestic emergency: their seven-year-old son (Nelson) is severely constipated. Antics spiral further out of control with the arrival of the official's wife (Avery) and her “cousin” (Nebreja).
In Stark Naked (translated and freely adapted by Charles Marowitz), Ventroux (Blanchard again) is a prominent politician who can't seem to persuade his wife (Avery) to put some clothes on — not even in the presence of their servant, Victor (Nebreja), or as they prepare for a visit from an important local dignitary and political rival (Del Sherman). When a local journalist (Nelson) shows up, Ventroux realizes that his political aspirations may be headed for complete ruin.
The laughter will continue between the plays with a comic interlude of original sketches about the madness of relationships.
The creative team includes scenic designer Drew Foster, sound designer Leon Rothenberg and Costume Designer AK Snyder. Lighting design is by Vortex Lighting. The stage manager is Katie Chabot. The casting director is Scott Nelson, and the graphic designer is Luba Lukova. The associate producer is Lisette Lee. Beth Hogan and Bart DeLorenzo produce for Odyssey Theatre Ensemble.
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