Date: Fri 30-May-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DONNAM

Quick Words:

Philbrick-Standard-Twain

Full Text:

(rev "An American Standard: Bathroom Farce & Love Story" in Redding, 5/30/97)

Theatre Review-

Redding Reading Lives Up To Avant Garde Theatre `Standard'

(with photo)

By June April

REDDING - American Standard is a rather unusual celebration. How else can one

categorize a wedding cake that is topped by toilet paper in an enamel holder

with the bride and groom figurines, and other bridal party members, on the

lower cake tiers?

What's more, the cake plate is also unconventional: It is a toilet seat with

the top up, somewhat like a back-drop. After that kind of visual experience,

what else can one expect from a reading entitled American Standard: A Bathroom

Farce and A Love Story ?

A benefit performance for Redding's Mark Twain Library American Standard - the

creation of playwright and West Redding resident Jane Philbrick - was

presented within the confines of the building it would benefit on May 17.

According to one definition of avant garde theatre, the experience is meant to

be "experimental, stressing bodily movement, use of unusual vocalizations and

an education for the theatre audience." On all those levels, Jane Philbrick's

creation scores high.

With its roots in French Theatre of the 1920s, avant garde theatre was

intended to be provocative, to stimulate the imagination of the spectator.

The Oxford Companion to the Theatre goes on to state there is also a great

emphasis on the role of the author/playwright as "an artist with a vision."

The director works closely with the playwright as the interpreter of that

vision.

Certainly director Joyce Aaron fulfilled the interpretive role to Mrs

Philbrick's satisfaction.

With Larissa Lowe doing some introductory narration and creating appropriate

sound effects, American Standard proved to be one of the more unusual nights

ever seen. A zealously shaken covered pot, tightly sealed, was the sound of

breaking dishes. It served to symbolize the raucous and dissention-filled

relationship of the bride's divorced parents. Ms Lowe also used a gallon milk

bottle partially filled with water to simulate the sounds of a flushing

toilet.

This was a play reading , not a full performance. As each actor was introduced

they struck a pose that was characteristic of that role, and held it through

the first minutes, rather like a cinematic freeze-frame.

The bemused and embarrassed bride, Lydia was beautifully played by Jennifer

Langsam. A lovely young woman, Ms Langsam has a strong Shakespearean

background which was evidenced by her carriage and pronunciation.

Wearing two hats, director Joyce Aaron also played the role of the

manipulative saccharine mother. The Obie she won for her performance in

Acrobatics (which she also directed, co-authored and acted in) must have been

a factor in giving her the mental prowess to be able to bellow her lines when

needed.

As the fractious ex-husband Cyrus, Richard Dedomenico was a vocally bombastic

match to Ms Philbrick. His credits, including roles in a number of fine films

such as Nobody's Fool and A Bronx Tale , has him an Actor's Equity standing of

good merit.

A graduate of Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and fellow member of Actor's

Equity, William Penick has also had some fine theatre experiences. As the

bridegroom Rolf, he portrayed a range of emotions: bewildered, understanding,

frustrated and childish among them.

Rolf's widowed father, Oskar, personified by Victor Truro, endures his new

in-laws with grace, civility and discomfort. Oskar's death is quite confusing,

and is an element of this play that is intriguing. When he is not the voice of

Fondue in Nickelodeon's "Kablam," Oscar Riba is on the stage doing what he

loves. As Rolf's brother Peter, he is like a leaf being buffeted around in the

storm of the nuptial nastiness.

Stage manager Andrew Knapp is also resident set designer at Joel Barlow High

School. Simply but tastefully assembled, the temporary stage had an original

oil portrait of Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens hung in front of the curtain. Six

limited edition commemorative Hitchcock chairs depicting Redding Center and a

few appropriate crepe paper "ropes" and wedding bells completed the design.