Date: Fri 28-Jun-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A-8

Quick Words:

Yale-theatre-rev-Murphy

Full Text:

(rev "Three Weeks After Marriage" @Yale Rep, 6/28/96)

Theatre Review-

The Truth About Arthur Murphy!

(with photo)

By June April

NEW HAVEN - Creative chicanery abounds the stage at the Summer Cabaret Theatre

at Yale University with its opening production, Three Weeks After Marriage .

Doors slam, dual characters run about... dual characters? Yes, shades of

Moliere, with English wit!

Written by 18th Century actor and playwright Arthur Murphy, Three Weeks After

Marriage , originally titled What we Must All Come to , was republished in

1776 with its current title. Seeking a play entitled Three Hours After

Marriage , Yale Cabaret artistic director Preston Lane accidentally chose this

play and adapted it with some scintillating barbs about acting, politics and

funding for the arts. With a sly smile, it was admitted at a post-performance

talk that yes, the play "aims to humiliate."

If you have ever seen the frenetically funny movie Noises Off , then one would

especially appreciate what goes on here. The doors are numbered on the inside

of the set, to minimize wrong entrances. Costume dressers stand by for

split-second changes, and there are at least 16 of these changes.

The actors each play dual (and opposite) roles, and this is part of the fun.

Be sure to read the playbill's "Bios" section: It is very telling! And always,

always remember: There is a lot of tongue-in-cheek, leg-pulling going on, both

on the stage and off.

There is a wonderful energy from the young actors. Their clarity of speech,

especially in view of rapid deliveries, is quite refreshing. As the

manipulative servant, Amy Cronise is anything but "dim." Kimberly Ross, a

transplanted California graduate, is positively hopeless in getting her way.

And there are fine performances by Adrian LaTourelle and Kenan Minkoff.

Yale's Summer Cabaret series began 22 years ago, basically as a separate

entity (although there is some support from Yale's School of Drama). The

formation of this creative ensemble was spearheaded by one of its noteworthy

graduates, Meryl Streep.

With word spreading on how delightful evenings are at Summer Cabaret,

reservations are strongly suggested. Three Weeks After Marriage is on only

through this Saturday - June 29 - so act quickly to get tickets (call

432-1567). The theatre is located downstairs at 222 York Street in New Haven.

Three Weeks After Marriage is a casual evening of high camp fun.

So who is Arthur Murphy? An Irish actor, essayist, translator of Sallus and

Tacitus , biographer of Fielding and Garrick, writer of farces and satires,

actor of Shakespearian roles and playwright. He lived from 1727 to 1805, a man

of many talents.