REVIEW: Orange Girls Present WONDER OF THE WORLD As They Close Their 2009 Season

As a swansong for their theatre company, Wonder of the World acts as a whimsical sendoff; a farcical piece filled with quirky characters and hilarious dialogue. I'll miss the Orange Girls because their choices were consistently engaging and entertaining, and they always featured talented casts in their productions. Wonder of the World is no exception, with solid performances given all around. If you've never seen an Orange Girls production, then take this opportunity to catch this groups' latest before they take an indefinite hiatus.

David Lyndsay-Abaire's script follows a young woman named Cass who discovers her husband Kip's kinky sex secret in his sweater drawer and decides to run away to Niagara Falls to pursue all the things she's always wanted to experience. Along the way she befriends an alcoholic who's bound and determined to ride a barrel over the falls because her husband has abandoned her. Meanwhile Kip has hired a couple of cheap private eyes to find Cass. Near the end everyone is brought together for a therapy session hosted by a clown.

Brooke Edwards gives a high energy performance as Cass. After so many dramatic and assured roles it's a pleasant surprise to see her playing a confused and naïve woman searching for meaning in her life. Charlie Barron impresses as her husband Kip. He comes home early to find his wife packing and you can really feel his growing sense of helplessness and anxiety. Kirsten Wylder also does fine work as Lois, a Heavy Drinker that Cass meets on the bus. Wylder has fun with the part, maintaining a consistent air of disregard in her stupor.

Christopher Hickey does terrific work as Captain Mike, the pilot of the Maid of the Mist which navigates the waters around the falls. A widower whose wife was killed by an enormous container of peanut butter, he projects an endearing eagerness as he hooks up with Cass. Kelley Ryan and Greg Johnson are Karla and Glen, respectively, a married couple who have started their own private investigation business. Johnson is especially amusing since his character is afflicted with attention deficit disorder, which causes his mind to wander at the most inopportune times. Mary Schnitzler rounds out the cast in a variety of roles, most notably the therapist clown. But, she's also quite funny as three different themed restaurant waitresses.

Deanna Jent has a real knack for directing comedic ensembles, and she does stellar work here. The play definitely benefits from its fast pace and focused actors. She's aided by Dunsi Dai's simple but effective scenic design, and by Bess Monihan's lighting scheme.

While it's truly sad to bid the Orange Girls adieu, I have no shortage of memories of the fine productions that they've staged over the past four years. Do yourself a favor and check out this peculiar little comedy.

 

 

Wonder of the World continues through October 11, 2009 in the Anheuser-Busch Black Box Theatre at COCA.

 

 

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