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The Post-Standard News
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February 18, 2004 Skill, polish mark 'I Hate Hamlet' Joan Vadeboncoeur, Entertainment Columnist Playwright Paul Rudnick has opinions, ones he voices in highly humorous form. With a delightfully amusing cast, Appleseed Productions vents them in a skillful mounting of "I Hate Hamlet." Despite the rant of the title, a canceled TV series star (Jon Wilson) has decided to move to New York and reluctantly embark on the title role for "Shakespeare in the Park." Despite its antique trappings and presence of the ghost of John Barrymore (Joe Pierce), the consummate actor of the prince of Denmark, he sets up housekeeping in an apartment once owned by the fabled star. Mix in a nasal-voiced real-estate agent (Glenda House) who is awed by the TV performer, a 29-year-old virgin and wannabe actress (Melissa Zakri) with whom he has fallen in love, a freewheeling California producer (Tom Ciancaglini) who offers the younger star millions for a series, and the canceled actor's agent (Pat Stone), a former lover of Barrymore who he suspects has a serious illness. Barrymore wants to go back to heaven but can't until he coaches the young actor to a rave review opening night. Rudnick comments on the vast differences between East and West Coast show business, the nature of acting versus money-grabbing and even smoking. Wilson could project more cynicism in his first minutes. But when Pierce's Barrymore arrives, he steps up to the dead star's goading with fine results and finishes by delivering the determination necessary to reject the money in favor of possible rejection by the art. Pierce has always been at his best when he has a superior attitude to play. Add Barrymore's wicked sense of humor and womanizing ways, and there's a highly winning, polished performance awaiting theatergoers. Director Sharee Lemos has welded the cast into a rollicking ensemble. Copyright © 2004 The Post-Standard. |
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