Reviewed by Judy Richter
"The Drowsy Chaperone," winner of six 2006 Tony
Awards, spoofs 1920s musical comedies with a collection of cliched characters
and a cliched plot. Playing without intermission at the Orpheum Theatre in San
Francisco, it features music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison and a book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar. From a production standpoint,
its strongest assets are the choreography by director Casey Nicholaw and colorful costumes by Gregg
Barnes along
with Robert Billig's
musical direction. It also has a strong cast -- something that's an absolute
must with a show of this type.
What's
most interesting about the show -- and what holds it together -- is the
character of the Man in Chair. Played by Jonathan Crombie, Man is the onstage narrator as
well as the modern-day protagonist. Clad in a baggy cardigan sweater, sweet,
unassuming Man lives in a dingy, cluttered apartment. He doesn't seem to have
much of a life except for his love of musical theater. Hence, his greatest
treasure is his collection of musical theater albums -- old-fashioned LPs. Even
though he has never seen the show, one of his favorite albums is "The
Drowsy Chaperone," which his mother gave him. He has memorized every song,
every word of dialogue. He knows the characters so well that they're real to
him. Crowding into his apartment (scenic design by David Gallo with lighting by Ken
Billington and Brian
Monahan), they
bring the show to life.
The
basic plot is that a popular actress, Janet Van De Graaff (Andrea
Chamberlain), is
about to marry Robert Martin (Mark Ledbetter), a man she barely knows, and to
give up her career. Her producer, the cigar-puffing Feldzieg (Cliff Bemis), wants her to reconsider. His
dumb blonde girlfriend, Kitty (Marla Mindelle), wants to replace her. The
wedding party has gathered at the home of the feather-brained but wealthy Mrs.
Tottendale (Georgia Engel), whose Underling (Robert Dorfman) keeps the household running
smoothly. Other characters are George (Richard Vida), Robert's best man: two
gangsters disguised as pastry chefs (Paul Riopelle and Peter Riopelle); Aldolpho (Dale Hensley), an egotistical Latin lover;
the tippling Drowsy Chaperone (Nancy Opel), and Trix (Fran Jaye), an aviatrix.
Man
interjects himself very so often to offer an opinion or to say how much he
likes the next scene. If it weren't for him, the show wouldn't work on its own
because it's too silly. Nevertheless, the performers are fun and talented
although Hensley overdoes his role as Aldolpho. It's great fun to see Engel
onstage after endearing herself to fans of TV's "The Mary Tyler Moore
Show,"
where she played the sweet but very naive Georgette. She also has appeared in
"Everybody Loves Raymond."