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Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
Laundry and Bourbon
Verdict: 3 women, 3 marriages
London - White Bear Theatre - 9 to 13 May 06 - 19:15 (20:15)
Laundry And Bourbon is an hour of light drama about marital separation and reconciliation from a cast of 3 (3F).
Elizabeth Caulder's husband Roy comes back from Vietnam 'shot up and changed'. Now he's gone away, probably with a woman. Elizabeth ponders her marriage while looking for his return. Her extrovert friend Hattie Dealing ramps up the drama of the situation. Their old schoolfriend Amy Lee Fullernoy abandons prim disapproval for gossip and whisky. The essence of the play concerns three small-town American women, their ambitions, resignation to their lot, acceptance of their marriages.
Melissa Woodbridge's Hattie bounces with down-to-earth vulgarity and a strong stomach for bourbon. Hattie's great love was Wayne Wilder, whose buddy was Roy Caulder. Hattie and Wayne, Elizabeth and Roy double-dated at high school. But Elizabeth got Roy, and Hattie lost Wayne. She married second-best Vernon instead, father of her many wild children. Always the nearly-woman, Hattie can't quite keep up with fashions, but blusters her way through with the force of her personality.
Elizabeth (Joanna Doyle) first appears looking out to the road for Roy, and that is how the play leaves her. She married her love, but he's not matured. He doesn't yet know she is pregnant. Is there a future for them, for the baby, for her? Joanna Doyle's creation of Elizabeth is a woman full of thought, introspective. Generous, too, in her forgiveness and acceptance (even if reluctantly) of life's imperfection but fundamental do-ability.
Joanna Doyle's profound beauty gives the character an inner glow. At first her Elizabeth sits in a green dress, reading a book, among the rattan chairs of her porch, by her green gingham tablecloth; later she's sorting laundry: practical things that say much of Elizabeth's character when so subtly performed.
The well-chosen sound design (by Giles Sutton) has Ray Charles's I Can't Stop Loving You as Elizabeth's record of choice. The script by James McLure avoids too much stagnation with some interesting dialogue. It's not a profound play, but its situation is convincing. Lighting by Stuart Crohill works well for the slow passing of the day. Set design by Carys Reynolds evokes the setting and spirit of the action. Adam Penford's direction is lively and exact. The British actors delivering American characters - with only the odd slip - credit Rick Lipton as dialect coach.
The play kicks up several gears with the arrival of Lucy Le Messurier's Amy Lee, in elegant black and white dress. It's the same dress as Hattie's - cue for a fight. That's just the beginning of lively verbal and physical confrontation. Lucy Le Messurier's Amy's American accent tops the evening's poll in realism (as ever the tricky conundrum is what sounds most American to a British audience). Amy is married to hardware shop-keeper Cletus, and on the social rise, with big red hoop-earrings and combs in her hair. Her church is First Baptist, and she wears bright red patent shoes.
Lucy Le Messurier's acting of Amy Lee has great élan, style, glow and conviction. She's also breathtakingly pretty, which translates superbly to the characterisation. Her Amy Lee's interaction and gossip with Hattie sparkle. Amy Lee is the style-setter, Hattie the follower. Hattie's only just learnt bridge, now Amy Lee's introducing Mah Jong. It's subtle interpretation - in lesser hands Amy Lee's character could slide to the cruel. Lucy Le Messurier delivers the sharp stuff razor-sharp, but places a kindness - a humanity - within Amy Lee, that warms.
Cast Credits: (alpha order): Joanna Doyle - Elizabeth Caulder. Lucy Le Messurier - Amy Lee Fullernoy. Melissa Woodbridge - Hattie Dealing.
Company Credits: Writer - James McLure. Director - Adam Penford. Lighting Design - Stuart Crohill. Graphic Design - Jason Michaelides (Rewind Films Ltd). Set Design - Carys Reynolds. Sound Design - Giles Sutton. Technical Operator - (uncredited). Stage Manager - Bertilla Spoletto. Dialect Coach - Rick Lipton (www.ricklipton.com). Producers - (alpha order) Joanna Doyle & Lucy Le Messurier. Company - Central Line Productions (www.centrallineproductions.co.uk). Play presented in arrangement with Joseph Weinberger Ltd. Thanks to: Margaret Ann Bain. Bulleit Bourbon. Liz Butler. Peter Craze. Judith Doyle. Graham (White Bear bar). Michael Kingsbury. Andrew Michaelides. Penny Scott. Simon Scott. Tom Wright. White Bear: Resident Stage Manager - John Katon. Artisic Director - Michael Kingsbury.
END
John Park
reviewed Saturday 13 May 06 / White Bear
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
www.fringereport.com
