Valhalla Reaches Heights Close To Heaven

The Uptown Players' Production of Valhalla provides some of the most uproarious side-splitting laughs ever scene on a stage.  Every member of the company turned in a superlative performance, and the direction was outstanding as well.  However, the play itself was disjointed and had abrupt shifts in tone and pacing.  But these debits did not cause total havoc to the proceedings.  The masterful work of the performers was enough to make for an entertaining evening.

Valhalla, written by Paul Rudnick (probably best known for the play Jeffrey), had a brief run at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2004.  It tells two stories: the true story of King Ludwig II, the "Mad King of Bavaria," who tries to find beauty by building a fabulous castle that emulates Versailles, and James Avery, a Texas man who looks for similar beauty in various escapades during the 1930s and 1940s.  The two tales are cleverly juxtaposed and develop literally side by side.

As King Ludwig, B.J. Cleveland is sheer heaven.  All Mr. Cleveland has to do is arch his hand slightly to acknowledge the royal troops or take a mincing step and the effect was comic delight.  His facial expressions were so apt and descriptive that the dialogue that followed was almost anticlimactic.  Mr. Cleveland's antics alone were well worth the price of admission.

John de los Santos delivered the goods in his portrayal of James Avery as well.  His delivered the comic lines with perfect timing and wringed the last laugh out of every farcical moment in Rudnick's piece.  He was also up to the task when the play reached its darker moments in the Second Act.

Lisa Hassler undertook many roles but her primary part was Queen Marie, Ludwig's Mother.  Her rich voice and way with a comic aside made her the perfect foil for Mr. Cleveland.  Her contributions transformed moments that could have been only slightly funny into downright hysterical.

Actor Coy Covington easily took home this evening's versatility honors.He played five roles (one of them female!) and never ceased to amaze. Whether playing the bratty Prince Otto or the unique Princess Ursula or an Army Sergeant quite tolerant of alternative sexual lifestyles, Mr. Covington threw himself into every role with outlandish abandon and deserves a lion's share of credit for the hilarity.

Kevin Moore as Texas lad Henry Lee (the main object of James' affections) was the epitome of Middle America self-consciousness and Kelly Grandjean scored with her portrayed of a Prom Queen who learns that there is more to life than what can be found between the pages of a High School Yearbook.

Helming these proceedings is director Andi Allen.It was due to her tight direction that Valhalla produced all the general merriment discussed earlier.  Directing a comedy so that it reaches maximum heights of levity is no easy task—and Miss Allen was clearly up to the challenge.  The work called for literal split-second timing—including entrances and exits and costume changes.  In lesser hands, the play could have suffered, but Miss Allen kept a firm hand on this and allowed the work to reach the comic heights it was written to achieve.  The aging of the characters was also handled quite effectively--it was done solely through the use of costume and mannerisms--no makeup was necessary.

The chief liability of the Uptown Player's production of Valhalla is the play itself.  A quite funny First Act leads to a darker Second Act.  This change comes rather abruptly and Mr. Rudnick does not prepare us for it—so we are confused and uncertain.  The bittersweet ending is only a minor consolation—by then, the magic is gone.

Will this production of Vahalla get you to Heaven?  Maybe not right smack up to the pearly gates, but you're in for a most enjoyable ride.

Valhalla will run through October 22—select The Uptown Players' website for more information.  Please note that the show is intended for mature audiences only.

Photo Credit:  Mike Morgan

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