I Do, I Do

The Little Theater on the Square


This was the first production of 1999 that we were able to see -- it was around Valentine's day. It's Easter weekend now -- I know, a review isn't going to do you any good whatsoever for this show. Look at it this way, it's gives you another opinion to go by, and gives me a chance to say some good things about some people who didn't impress me too much before.

This play is a very small production, two actors (his and hers), two musicians (pianists, his and hers), two dressing tables (take a wild guess), and a bed (theirs). The his of the production: the same guy who did an incredibly underwhelming job as Capt Von Trapp in the Sound of Music. The her: the stick who did an unremarkable job as Sandy in Grease. This time? No, not yet -- I have to do that long drawn out synopsis thing.

The production is the life story of a marriage -- starting from the wedding, to the day the leave the family home for a retirement apartment in the city. It starts in the late 1800's, so some things are incredibly dated, a younger crowd might not get all the jokes (a fault of the original play, not of this production). He is a successful author, she his devoted wife and mother of his children (which we never see). He briefly lets his fame go to his head, she thinks of leaving after he has an affair (he's not a very nice guy at times), but in the end they survive that, and even make it through the marriage of their daughter (accompanied by a rather amusing little tune called 'My Daughter is Marrying an Idiot' or something like that). In the end, they leave their home for a new couple, and leave as they entered -- happily married. There, that wasn't so bad -- was it.

Well, as you may have guessed from the opening, I'm about to be unusually nice to people. Come on, it happens occasionally -- it's just not good for a critic to be too nice (you don't get taken seriously then.) I'm going to be nice to the former Capt Von Trapp -- he did a marvelous job this time -- it was a smaller crowd, smaller cast, quieter orchestra -- and the material just seemed to suit him to a T. He was the devoted groom, the overindulgent dad, the philandering lout, the flustered father-of-the-bride, and devoted life partner (especially when he removed the makeup and toupee for his transformation to senior citizen -- right in front of the audience I might add). And the stick showed a range of emotions not even hinted at during her performance in Grease. This was obviously a case of the right people doing the right job, and it made me even more excited about this years coming attractions -- we already have tickets for Bye Bye Birdie, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and season tickets for us and the little one to the years children's productions. It looks like it's going to be a good year.