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Post Standard, The (Syracuse,
NY)
May 19, 2004
Section: CNY
Edition: Final
Page:
Column: Joan Vadeboncoeur
'High
Society' is a feast for eyes and ears Joan Vadeboncoeur, Entertainment
Columnist
Appleseed Productions likes to take a dare now and
then, mounting a full-scale musical that is tough, in cast demands and sheer
size. For instance, the company took a risk with "Where's Charley?" and "The
Mystery of Edwin Drood."
The troupe is now fielding "High Society," based on Philip Barry's "The
Philadelphia Story," a model of '30s sophistication that is set to Cole Porter
tunes. The production, staged with zest by Jon Wilson, has some flaws but
generally is a feast for the eyes and ears.
The much-married Tracy Lord is about to take the plunge again when the curtain
parts. Her latest fiance is stuffy, humorless George Kittredge, who she hopes
will tame her wild ways. Her mother, Margaret, hopes the same, especially since
her husband, Seth, is embarrassing her with a stripper-dancer.
Not going to happen, says her bratty younger sister, Dinah, who has more wisdom
than others in the family, including boozy Uncle Willie.
Also arriving for the ceremony is Tracy's ex, the dashing C.K. Dexter Haven, and
a pair of scandal-sheet journalists, writer Mike Connor and photographer Liz
Imbrie. The questions posed are: Will Mike capture the affections of Tracy? Will
Liz finally snare Mike, the man of her dreams? Will Dexter reignite Tracy's
love?
The answers are obvious from the start, so it's up to the ensemble and the
Porter evergreen numbers such as "Let's Misbehave" and "Just One of Those
Things" to spearhead the show.
Sarah Davies' Tracy is fine, spirited and vocally appealing, although at
Sunday's matinee she lapsed into singsong readings for a spell in mid-Act 1. So,
too, is Thomas J. Parker's Dexter. Yet he could assume a shade harder edge. No
complaints can be made about Josh Mele's Connor or the acting of Pat Stone and
John G. Seavers as the parents, or John LaCasse as Uncle Willie. Piquant charm
is displayed by Shannon Tompkins as Liz, although she needs to be more cynical.
The problem at Sunday's matinee was the singing. Even some who this reviewer
knows can do better proved less than they ought to have.
This reviewer also has qualms about the costume design of Debra Ritchey, but not
the scenic creations of Wilson and Rose Viviano, which include some drawings
reminiscent of the late Al Hirschfeld.
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