CAUGHT IN THE NET

by Ray Cooney
Directed by Kyle Ennis Turoff
Golden Apple Dinner Theatre
25 N. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota, 941-366-5454
In repertory Oct. 13-Nov. 29, 2009

Reviewed by Marie J. Kilker

Same places, but for updated furniture and curtains, as 17 years earlier in bigamist taxi driver John Smith's two London homes, where he perfected how to Run for Your Wife. Same problem trying to keep his two wives apart, but different one added now that John's son Gavin (sincere, engaging Ryan Lebat) has met John's daughter Vicki (sweet Geena Ravella) on the internet and they arrange to meet in person.  We are soon entangled in John's two hours of frantic attempts, each building farcically to stop the kids' liason. Who says incest can't be a laughing matter?

Entry doors, closet doors, kitchen doors, bathroom doors get a workout along with John and wives Barbara (now stately as well as statuesque Heidi Davis) and Mary (tailored Leigh Anne Wuest, projecting as much dignity as possible).  Needing to hide or disguise himself, Ernest Weldon's beleaguered John spends most of his time wearing sunglasses or surfing gear while zipped up in anorak or in hooded jackets, despite August's heat, as well as shrouded in blankets or wrapped in a carpet.  Yet perhaps the major one Caught in the Net is upstairs roomer of 18 years, Stanley Gardner (Cliff Roles, always versatile, always a hoot).  He means to go with his confused old Dad (Richard LaVene, goofy) to a beach resort but ends up a great deal posing as John. Stanley's also called upon to be John's telephone service, a heavy breather, a suicide, and a supposed despoiler of youth. Lies flow like (and with) vegetarian Barbara's raspberry-carrot juice. Plottings go down like (and with) aspirin asked from Mary.  Everyone keeps up the earnest silliness and fast pace dictated by Kyle Ennis Turoff's direction.

The twists and turns of John's dilemma lead to a surprise ending. We won't tell; we're too exhausted from two hours of following Cooney's convoluted fun!

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