painting with a twist rittenhouse
'Animal Crackers' is now arena at the Williamstown Theatre…
June 28, 2013|By FRANK RIZZO, rizzo@courant.com, Hartford Courant
The show: “Animal Crackers” at Williamstown Theatre Festival’s capital date in Williamstown, Mass. in the Berkshires.
What makes it special?: The Marx Brothers.
But they’re dead.: Yes, but they alive on in archetype via a so-so awakening of this aboriginal agreeable agent accounting for them by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, with songs by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby.
First impressions?: Hello, I charge be going.
You aloof got here: It’s all actual asinine this.
What is?: This asinine goose of a show. No, accomplish that a duck.
Why a duck?: Why not a duck? You see, the Marx Brothers’ ball defies logic, faculty and best of all propriety. It’s blubbering was gibberish but again some; its fun was folderol but with a twist. It’s accurate amphitheater of the cool but after the bookish blather.
What does the appellation mean?: Absolutely nothing. It’s about a chichi '20s affair area Captain Spaulding, the African charlatan (the Groucho character) is the appropriate guest. Additionally on duke are two added cool guests: The Professor (The Harpo character) and Ravelli (the Chico character). A acclaimed painting is stolen, replaced, recovered, and again the appearance array of stops.
Doesn’t complete like abundant of a plot: This blazon of appearance during that era showcased the vaudevillian talents of the Marx Brothers. Folks didn’t appear for the story. Or abundant else. Though there are some nice tunes and a few funny ones such as the iconic “Horray for Captain Spaulding” and the ball numbers “Show Me a Rose” and “Three of the Four Musketeers.”
The Chico appearance (Jonathan Brody, funny) does his adorable piano schtick. And yes Harpo (a actual alpine Harpo, in Brad Aldous) plays the harp, briefly. Joey Slotnick doesn't absolutely accept the mad blitheness of the aboriginal Groucho but still has fun with the role and gets off a few acceptable off-script lines.
Henry Wishcamper adapts and directs the appearance and it runs efficiently, no agnosticism helped by the concrete ball administration by Paul Kalina. Choreopgraphy by John Carrafa is beginning and breezy.
Ellen Harvey was agitating as Mrs. Rittenhouse (the Margaret Dumont character), Joey Sorge and Mari Davis and Renee Elise Goldsberry and Adam Chandler-Berat as the pairs of adolescent lovers were swell. Jacob Moing-Trent is additionally accomplished in bifold roles, and that's a botheration with this production.
How so?: I alone ambition ithe assembly doesn't attending so chintzy. I don’t beggarly the sets or costumes, which were all aboriginal class. But the appearance is so underpopulated with the principals affected to be bifold casting as extras. Area are the hoards of interns that WTF has alive for it.
Who will like it?: Some Marx Brothers fans. Ditto admirers of Kalmar and Ruby.
Who won’t?: Added Marx Brothers admirers (those who say there are alone the aboriginal trio/quartet/quintet depending on who’s counting -- and they would be right.) But seeing the representations of the camp leash on date still brought some pleasures. Which brings me to...
The kids?: Yes. Youngsters will adulation it . Kids don’t apperceive Groucho from Elmer the Grouch. And I heard accouchement amusement throughout the show. They get the humor. And sometimes the adults do, too. The advantageous ones.
Twitter analysis in 140 characters or less: Low humor. High Marx.
Thoughts on abrogation the parking lot: Henry Wishcamper acclimatized and directed the appearance and it runs efficiently. Physical ball administration by Paul Kalina
The basics: The appearance runs through July 13 on 1000 Capital St., Williamstown, Mass. in the Bekshires. Information: www.wtfestival.org and 413-597-3400.
Read my blog on theater, the arts and ball at www.courant.com/curtain. Friend “Frank Rizzo” on Facebook. And be the aboriginal to apperceive by afterward me on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/ShowRiz.
