WESTFIELD – Farce as an art form in theatre – why are they popular? Sometimes we see things coming. No big surprises but it’s a fun ride. That’s what happens in Westfield Community Players’ season closer, See How They Run by Philip King. Like most British farces, this one is chocked full of mistaken identity, a chase scene, slamming doors, and innocent bystanders who get sucked into the maelstrom of commotion.
The show, that premiered in the United Kingdom in 1944, is set in rural England in 1943. What could possibly go wrong when anAmerican actress Penelope Toop (Ruth Kliwinski) marries The Reverend Lionel Toop (Stephen Menella), a vicar in a small, gossipy town? Their posh home sports a big living room with a series of doors to the kitchen, dining room, closet, and French doors that lead to the gardens (Lovely set by Linda Correll). A short Act I provides the exposition.As the story opens, we hear vocalizing off stage that sounds more like caterwauling. It’s Penelope clearing her vocal pipes. As the maid Ida (Corrine Hower-Greene) rolls her eyes at the ritual, she ushers in a pompous, officious gossip named Miss Skillon (Christie Storms) who demands to see the vicar. She wants to complain that “someone” has decorated the pulpit for the upcoming service the next day and because Miss Skillon has done that yearly, she is hurt and angry. The fly in the ointment is that the vicar’s wife is the culprit. And adding insult to injury, Miss Skillon is aghast that Penelope has the audacity to wear trousers in the village. She also “You-hooed” to a man in an army uniform out on the road. When the vicar goes out for the evening, an old friend and castmate Corporal Clive Winton (Timothy McGovern) of the play “Private Lives” stops by unexpectedly. They re-enact one of the physical scenes from the play and busybody Skillon sees them rolling around on the floor and unwittingly gets knocked out in the fracas. Here’s where the real fun begins.
A series of men dressed as clergy and a drunk Miss Skillon make for chuckles in Act II. Like a true British farce, there are slamming doors, chases galore and misidentification. Throw in an escaped Russian spy (Allan Gershenson) and pandemonium ensues. A police sergeant appears looking for the spy, there are four men dressed in clerical apparel so he can’t figure out who is the real vicar. More than one person gets drunk and spends time in the closet…well you get the picture by now.
Veteran WCP actors Ruth Kliwinski and Tim McGovern have fine chemistry together and are always a delight in whatever role they play. Stephen Menella’s character Rev. Toop is played with the perfect amount of anguish in being caught between supporting his American wife and knowing that the townspeople aren’t quite as liberal in their behavior and views. The scene stealer in this production, though, is Christie Storms. She’s the pinched-lipped spinster who, with a few belts of liquor, becomes the perfect truth teller. Throwing that pentup character of Act I to the wind, Ms. Storms jumps into the physicality of the role. She gets the most laughs in the show with her antics and gets an extra gold star from me for her choices for her over-the-top drunken antics.
Director Bill Seesselberg, with the help of producer Lois Stevens and stage manager/costumer Ed Bontempo, has created a fun night for those who love silly, physical comedy and classic British farce. Tickets may be purchased at the door or reserved by phone at (908) 232-1221 or online at tickets@westfieldcommunityplayers.org.
