Steve Brady as Mr. Felt with his beloved puppet Frances
The Great Pretender: Comedy by David West Read. Directed by Stephen Brackett. Original Songs by David West Read. TheatreWorks, Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA. 650-463-1960 or www.theatreworks.org. World Premiere. July 9 – August 3, 2014
The Great Pretender a winner in progress at TheatreWorks [rating:4] (4 of 5 stars)
TheatreWorks opens its 45th season with the world premiere of The Great Pretender at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto. The play was commissioned by the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York and further developed for TheatreWork’s 2013 New Works Festival where it was the runaway favorite. The first scene is a superb prolog that sends the audience into gales of laughter promising a joyous evening. Mr. Felt (Steve Brady) and his puppets Frances and Barney the Pony (Suzanne Grodner) are filming a TV episode of a children’s show similar to an episode of the much loved “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.” The dialog and puppet action with the unassuming demeanor of Roy/Mr. Felt have the audience in hysterics.
Mr. Felt (Steve Brady) greets his puppets
The time frame shifts to the present, a year after the death in an auto accident of Roy’s wife who had become the voice and personae of Frances. Tom (Michael Storm) the director has encouraged Roy to try and resurrect the program. Tom has discovered hyperactive Jodi (Sarah Moser) a 24 year old who can mimic the voice of Frances and she arrives to meet Roy and Carol who plays the puppet Barney. To the consternation of Carol who feels that Frances cannot (actually should not) be replaced, Roy becomes entranced with Jodi’s voice as Frances bringing back memories of his wife. There is a beautiful scene where Roy describes the death of his wife using line drawings on a panel board. This leads to Roy becoming Jodi’s mentor while confusing the professional and personal relationship.
Carol (Suzanne Grodner), Tom (Michael Storm), and Mr. Felt (Steve Brady) discuss adding Jodi (Sarah Moser) as a puppeteerCarol (Suzanne Grodner), Tom (Michael Storm), and Mr. Felt (Steve Brady) discuss adding Jodi (Sarah Moser) as a puppeteer
Tension arises between Coral and Jodi with Tom being the intermediary. Carol, for personal reasons, attempts to derail bringing Frances “back to life” in a stunning diatribe that destroys the puppet Francis. Before that occurs author Read has written a fantastically funny scene for Carol pitching her screen-play of a foul-mouthed baseball-playing cat. Suzanne Grodner controls the stage and brings the house down.
There is a penultimate scene between Tom and Carol interrupted by Roy that seems misplaced and unnecessary before the telegraphed happy ending takes place. The actors imbue their roles with verisimilitude and their performance should not be missed. However, the evening has the feel of a play in progress.
This opinion is sort of verified noting that the program lists two acts with an intermission and opening night was performed in 100 minutes without an intermission.
CAST: Roy, Steve Brady; Carol, Suzanne Grodner; Tom, Michael Storm; Jodi, Sarah Moser.
PRODUCTION STAFF: Scenic Design by Daniel Zimmerman; Costume Design by Cathleen Edwards; Lighting Design by Paul Toben; Sound Design by Cliff Caruthers; Puppet Design by David Valentine.
Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com
Photos by Kevin Berne
