Middlebury Community Players Presents STILL LIFE, 2/18-2/21

The Middlebury Community Players will present an expanded version of Noel Coward's "Still Life" at Town Hall Theater from February 18 through the 21st. The piece was originally written to be included in Coward's cycle of short plays "Tonight at 8:30." However, in 1945 Coward joined forces with film director David Lean to create the full length, heart rending love story, "Brief Encounter." For MCP's production, director Joann Langrock has adapted scenes from the film to the original one-act, taking her cue from the recent British revival of a staged version of "Brief Encounter" currently touring the United States.

The action of the play takes place in the Milford Junction tea room, site of the first chance meeting of Laura Jesson and Alec Harvey (Tanya Lehman and Ken Tichacek). They happen to meet several more times, unexpectedly fall in love and then plan their weeks around Thursdays together. The tea room is ruled by Myrtle Bagot (Kendra Gratton) whose young assistant, Beryl Waters (Cat Bechtel) along with railroad employees Albert Godby (Wendell Jacobs) and Stanley ( Jonah Lefkoe) offer delightful moments of bright comedy. Tom Noble plays Laura's all-too-decent, long suffering husband. Beth Diamond takes on the role of a gossipy busybody, and the cast is rounded out with Caleb Hastings as a drunken soldier, Craig Burnham in cameo roles, and cellist Barbara Andres.

"Still Life" opens Thursday, February 18 at 8:00 and continues Friday and Saturday evenings. There are two matinees: Saturday, February 20 and Sunday February 21 at 2:00. Tickets, $17/$14 seniors & students, are available through the THT Box Office by calling 802-382-9222, online at www.townhalltheater.org, in person Monday - Saturday from noon to 5 pm, or at the door if available.

 

 

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