Review: "The Belle’s Strategem" at 2nd Story

Hannah Crowley wrote The Belle's Stratagem decades before Lucy and Ethel ever cooked up a mad-cap scheme to win back Ricky's affection. I had never heard of Hannah Crowley, but whether they know it or not, television sitcom writers have been borrowing from her liberally, for decades.

In The Belle's Stratagem, Leticia (Gabby Sherba) has just been re-introduced to her childhood friend Doricourt (Patrick Poole), the man she will marry. The marriage was arranged by their parents back when Letitia and Doricourt were still children.

The first meeting between the betrothed (the first in more than two decades) takes place in a lawyers office with the bride-to-be's father Hardy (F. William Oakes). The dowry and financial implications of the marriage are discussed. Letitia is still head-over-heels for Doricourt but fears that, in the decidedly un-romantic setting of their re-acquaintance, Doricourt's affection for her has gone tepid. Not content to enter a loveless marriage, Letitia comes upon a plan to re-ignite his passion.

The companion story that fleshes out the main story line is that newlyweds Sir George and Lady Frances (Ashley Kenner) have arrived from the country. Sir George (Dillon Medina) has actively kept his wife ignorant of "fashion" and city living. He would have her totally devoted to him, without exception. Jealous of her affection for a parakeet, he sets the little bird free.

The seemingly storybook nuptials and the arrival of newlyweds have local "society" atwitter. Mrs. Racket (Sharon Carpentier), a merry widow, along with her foppish cohort Flutter (John Michael Richardson) and their society friends scheme to introduce Lady Frances to everything city living has to offer. Everyone will work together to make sure that Doricourt falls in love with Letitia.

As the title suggests, the play is a story of women. The men are needed as foils and straight men, but it is the women that have the power and the cunning.

This production gets off to a shaky start. Some of the early dialogue feels "recited' as opposed to "acted". The dialogue becomes quick and witty, but for the first few moments, it is just quick. With a bit of time, the actors settle into their roles.

The set is marvelously minimal. Intersecting runways, with simple embroidered curtain entrances, bring 2^nd Story back to its black-box roots. In a move that I whole-heartedly support for small theaters, the simple set was held over from the last production The Beaux Stratagem. The costume design by Ron Cesario evokes 1920s Newport.

The leads, Gabby Sherba, Ashley Kenner, Patrick Poole and Dillon Medina turn in fine performances under Ed Shea's direction. There are also strong performances from, among others, Sharon Carpentier, F. William Oakes, and John Michael Richardson.

The plot and characters feel comfortable and familiar. The Belles Stratagem at 2^nd Story is a charming little play and production. Like the sitcoms that followed it, major life issues are wrapped up in a tidy little bow by the play's end.

The Belle's Stratagem runs through August 30^th. Tickets are $25.00 each and can be purchased by visiting the 2^nd Story Theatre Box office at 28 Market St., Warren, RI or by phone at 401-247-4200.

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