Bedroom Farce: Too Many Beds, Too Little Rest

Alan Ayckbourn's comic romp Bedroom Farce hasn't been given a real New York revival since its seven month Broadway run came to an end in 1979. Who better to revive it (and incidentally take on their first comedy) than The Actors Theatre Company (TACT), who specialize in reviving underappreciated plays from days gone by?

The play is deceptively simple- three bedrooms are onstage, with four couples bopping between them, on one rather sleepless night. First there are Ernest and Delia (Larry Keith and Cynthia Harris), a sweetly doddering couple who are celebrating their anniversary. Then there's Nick and Jan (Scott Schafer and Margaret Nichols)- poor Nick is in bed with a sprained back; Jan is off to a housewarming party thrown by sickeningly adorable newlyweds Malcolm and Kate (Sean Dougherty and Ashley West). Nick suspects that Jan is only going in order to see Trevor (Mark Alhadeff), the son of Ernest and Delia, Jan's ex - whose longstanding feud with his wife Susannah (Eve Bianco) may be coming to a head. Okay, maybe it's not so simple. But it is very funny. Although the play was written in the late 70s, the relationships and characters still ring true, and but for the lack of cellphones (landlines feature prominently in act II), the play could easily take place today. The script is sweet and amusing, with some moments of laugh-out-loud hilarity.

The cast are all game- Keith and Harris are an adorable delight, unfailingly polite even as the other characters impose on them; Harris especially is a comic gem (she's also one of the artistic directors of TACT, but there's clearly no nepotism here- she owns the role with flawless timing). Schafer is a hoot as the bedridden and sarcastic Nick, getting more annoyed as his every effort to get some sleep is thwarted. Nichols is fun as his sassily vindictive wife. Dougherty and West play off each other perfectly as their matrimonial bliss gradually slips into acrimony. Bianco is very funny as the perpetually moping sad sack Susannah- her constant recitation of a feel-good affirmation is wonderful. Alhadeff has some of the funniest moments- his Trevor is clearly a self-centered jerk, but he grants him a spacey wistfulness that elevates the character into a love-sick underdog; Alhadeff is hilarious, constantly searching for the right word, then coming up with the most banal palliatives to explain his actions.

Robin Vest's scenic design is gorgeous- each of the three bedrooms is exquisitely detailed and appropriate to the characters that live there. Aaron Copp's lighting is impressive, clearly delineating the three spaces. Amir Khosrowpour's peppy lite piano jazz sets the play firmly in the 1980s. Jenn Thompson's direction is clear and concise.

It's a highly enjoyable revival of a very funny show.

Bedroom Farce
The Actors Theatre Company (TACT)

October 5 - November 8, 2008
Performance schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 7:30pm
Saturday at 2 & 8pm, Sunday at 3pm

The Beckett Theatre (Theater Row)
410 West 42 Street

Tickets are $25-$56.25 and can be purchased at Ticket Central by phone 212/279 4200 or online at www.tactnyc.org

Photo Credit: Stephen Kunken

1. Cynthia Harris (Delia), Eve Bianco as Susannah and Larry Keith (Earnest)
2. Scott Schafera as Nick and Margaret Nichols as Jan in the background with Mark Alhadeff as Trevor in the center

 

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