Review: THE LADY DEMANDS SATISFACTION at Gulfshore Playhouse is Sidesplittingly Sharp!

THE LADY DEMANDS SATISFACTION at Gulfshore Playhouse, directed by Jeffrey Binder, is a fun tale about dueling and deception.

When Trothe (Betsy Hogg) learns her father has died, she has to make an important decision in order to keep her inheritance protected. She must find a way to defend her home by defeating any challengers through duels, but whether or not she does so herself is the question. She enlists her skilled sword fighting aunt, Theodosia (Amy Blackman) to teach her how to duel.

When the idea to have Trothe marry someone to duel for her seems to have failed, Trothe's servants, Tilly (Emily Cramer) and Penelope (Tarah Flanagan), come up with a plan to turn Tilly into a Prussian swordsman and have her lose to a duel with Trothe. They hope that this would scare any other person who might want to duel Trothe away. However, this is a comedy, so of course, things don't go... exactly as planned. When the real Prussian fencing master, Luitger (Rebecca Brinkley), shows up, Tilly and Penelope must find a way to keep their plan intact.

This whole cast did a wonderful job. You could tell they were all having fun, and they did a great job playing each of these roles. All of them had perfectly timed reactions to different events in the story, and that's something I enjoy very much. For example, each time Trothe would see the man her heart belonged to, Osric (Evan Sibley), they both exaggerated their interactions so much that they had the whole audience laughing. This was a very silly show, and I appreciated that very much. In between scenes, the cast would dance to instrumental versions of popular songs, and that added to the lighthearted feel of the production.

The costumes for this production were beautiful and fittingly flamboyant. They were perfect for this dramatic story, and I have to give credit to Costume Designer Kirche Leigh Zeile for them. I also really enjoyed the set, designed by Edward T. Morris.

I would definitely check out THE LADY DEMANDS SATISFACTION if you get the chance. I promise you will have a fantastic time following the mischief and mayhem of this story. It was a pleasure to watch, and I think you will agree.

THE LADY DEMANDS SATISFACTION is running at Gulfshore Playhouse now through March 15. Evening shows begin at 8 p.m.; matinees begin at 3 p.m. Show subscriptions are available and include priority seating, exclusive events, and discounted pricing. Tickets start at $45; $25 for students. All tickets are $38 two hours before a performance. For purchase information, visit www.GulfshorePlayhouse.org or contact 239-261-PLAY (7529).

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