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A bit of fluff has Playhouse audience smilingBy BE BE H AL’PE WriterIt was just a really fun evening, chuckled a delighted patron after seeing Where's Charley0The revival of the 1948 musical is Playhouse in the Park's final production this season, and the bit of fluff has audiences smiling and singing their way out of the theater The show runs through May 30Where's Charley? is based on Brandon Thomas’ 1892 farce,Charley's Aunt The musical is set at the turn of century in Oxford, England, a time and place where young gentlemen took their education in plush leisureRoommates Charles Wykeham and Jack Chesneyinvite their girlfriends to lunch, planning to have( harley’s aunt (whom he’s never seen) arrive from Brazil and chaperon themThe aunt doesn't arrive, but the girls’ cruel guardian does To save their reputations Charley dons histheatrical costume of an elderly lady, and pretends to be his aunt. The girls and the guardian are fooled However, craziness goes to insanity when Spettigue. the guardian, decides to marry the wealthy aunt. Charley in disguiseThings get worse as Spettigue persues Charley around, across and through Oxford In the meantime. Amy, ('harley’s true love, is confused and feels deserted. Amid the chaos Charley’s real aunt appears, but she’s wise enough to size up the situation, assume a false name, and waits on the sidelines to save theday.JKLFinally Charley, still in disguise, gets the smitten Spettigue to give written permission for the two girls to marrv. Suddenly Charley's charade is uncovered. Spettigue is furious, and it looks like true love will fail Don’t worry though, the real aunt comes to the rescue and love triumphs.For today's theater going audience Where’s Charley? is a bit out of date and corny, yet if you forget your 1970’s cycnicism and go along with the fantasy, the schmaltz is charming.The older this play gets, the more frivolous it becomes. It is to director MicheaI Murray's credit that he has enough faith in the show to let it rest on its own humor, which is disarmingly clever He lets the light, charming style of the show speak for itself, with no attempt to camp it up with unwanted satireWhere’s Charley0 has a super cast, which helps sustain the sweetness without turning it saccharine Dan Diggles as Charley is totally winning He'svibrant yet a little dense; cunning while still klutzy, goofy and appealing Diggles' voice isn’t the greatest, hut he more than compensates for it with his clowningHe lives the role so completely that when he leads the audience in singing Once in l ove with Amy, and he says, I forgot my lines, you believe him totally In this same number he also displays a light, airy grace to his dancingLee Hoy Reams as Jack Chesney has the superior singing ability, hut his comic delivery falters next to Diggles. This makes the two compliment each other, and helps make the camaraderv between them veryrealAlter Charley, the star performance of the show belongs to I M. Hobson as the slimy Spettigue Hobson appears often at the Playhouse and is a Cincinnati favorite. His face is a living charicature: everyfeature is exaggerated, especially his unruly trademark eyebrows He uses his physical over statements to give his part the extra oomph that it needsSpettigue is throughly hatable with his lecherous love of money. It’s a hard character to fully accepted, yet a squint of Hobson’s eye or the tilt of his brow not only makes Spettigue real—it makes you cringe to think vou’re so close to him|M• «A .*'91Lv*» * \ **sN1« •%Sally Mitchell and Lee Roy Reams sing My Darling, M\ Darling in the musical comedy WHERE’S ( II Mtl.EY? at the Playhouse in the Parkthrough May 30.The rest of the featured players are good, but not nearly as outstanding as the three male leads. SallyMitchell and Marti Rolph have superb voices and aresuitably couquettish as the two girlfriends. Adrienne Angel as Charley's real aunt is a beautiful picture of sophistication and worldly wiseness Keith Mackey. Jack Chesney’s father, is as stiff upper lipped and proper as only an English gentleman can beThe frothiness of the show is carried out also by Annie Peacock Warner’s costumes. The women wear delicate pastels, and the men white suits w ith colored piping, conjuring up the gay 1890's era The entire production suggests May itself has been transplanted to the Marx Theater stage Unfortunately the spring bouquet has one flaw: the dancing Nora Peterson’s choreography attempts lots of precise patterns for the chorus However, the Playhouse’s small, intimate stage doesn't house huge dance numbers effectively. The eight person dance chorus is too careful and stiff It’s as if they know it’s crazy to create a Busby Berkley dance extravaganza in such a tiny space, yet they try because it's their job A musical needs extra voices and scenery people, but Where's Charley? would be much more dynamicw frwithout the self-conscious dance numbers Nevertheless Where’s Charley0 bounces along to itspredictable conclusion. It’s refreshing to see a happy ending again, and this pleasing little musical leavesyou wondering if the good old days maybe iustweren't better than todav.V*4A/HI *Grand Opening MayHabersham Plantation CollectionfeaturingUniqueStems Accessories1 1 527 SPRINGFIELD PIKE, Springdale 772-1663Mon. Frt. 10 9; Tues Thurs -Sat, 10 5 30AAA CARNIVAL OF CRAFTS—80 CRAFTSMENMany demonstratingFrom Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, MichiganTennessee, Illinois and North CarolinaNORTHGATE MALLH GATEColerain and Springdale Rds.THURS.-FRI.-SAT.-SUN.MAY 13-14-15-16
Newspaper Details
Hamilton Cincinnati North Journal
Hamilton, Ohio, US
Wed, May 12, 1976
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Tara D.
USA 15 Aug 2020
Other Publications Near Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton Evening Democrat
Hamilton Daily Democrat
Hamilton Weekly Hamilton Telegraph
Daily Telegraph
Hamilton Guidon
