BWW Reviews: No Rules Theatre Company's BLACK COMEDY is Uproariously Funny

No Rules Theatre Company has been on DC's theatergoing public's radar for several years now and for good reason. Now with a new three-year residency at Signature Theatre, it's making yet another step in its advancement to the big leagues. That being said, the more things change the more they stay the same. Its inaugural production at Signature, Peter Shaffer's Black Comedy, is certainly evidence that this small start-up is continuing on its path of excellence. Uproariously funny, it's a master class in physical comedy.

First performed in 1965, Black Comedy starts off in the dark - literally (at least for the audience). A blackout leaves Brindsley Miller (Jerzy Gwiazdowski), his dim-witted lover Carol (Kathryn Saffell), and their neighbors in the dark just as Miller is preparing to meet Carol's father, Colonel Melkett (Matthew R. Wilson), and a millionaire art buyer who he hopes will recognize his talent and bring him out of poverty. Hijinks occur as secrets are revealed and identities are mistaken. It's certain to be a night Miller will not soon forget.

Farcical in tone, the play is nothing we haven't seen before. One stumble in the dark leads to another. One funny moment where someone thinks they're 'seeing' someone else also leads to another. Yet, for some reason the jokes don't get old. That's mostly thanks to Matt Cowart's fine direction (to say the show is seamless is an understatement) and a fine six-member cast that's as adept with physical comedy as it is keeping up the energy and delivering rapid-fire dialogue without being distracted by what's going on around the stage. This laser sharp focus makes the show a joy to watch even if one is not particularly enamored with farce.

The cast is uniformly first-rate. Although all are asked to play what are essentially stock characters, they do so with reckless abandon. This lack of fear to look silly or stupid makes the play all that more enjoyable.

Gwiazdowski proves his skill with physical comedy at every moment and never lets up. He's also one to watch for his skill at communicating more with his body language than most actors can do with their voices. Saffell is appropriately insipid as Miller's lover of the moment and her constant energy is perfect for this campy production. Like Miller, her over-exaggerated facial expressions allow the audience to be brought in on the joke even further. Wilson also has the manners of a military man down pat and certainly proves he has the comedic chops to pull off playing a man who's outside of his comfort zone.

Other cast members also excel as the people who bewilderingly, and often unexpectedly, enter into Miller's apartment over the course of the evening. Most successful at making every moment count is Brian Sutow as Harold Gorringe, Miller's rather effeminate, art-loving and snooty neighbor. With a simple change in vocal tone or body language, he can make even the most cringeworthy joke soar. Lisa Hodsoll's take on the straight-laced neighbor, Miss Furvinal, is also fun to watch. While the joke about the frigid girl discovering alcohol and becoming someone who is not quite herself is certainly played out (and perhaps that's the point), she does so in a way that makes it memorable. Dorea Schmidt (Clea) is delightful as Miller's other lover. Her charisma and charm allow us to easily see why Clea has been such a mainstay in Miller's life. Ryan Mitchell, as the electrician Schuppanzigh, rounds out the cast nicely. He's the least zany among them to be sure, but his straight-faced reaction to the chaos around him is one of the major reasons the last few moments of the show work so well.

The success of the cast is met by the success of the design team. John Bowhers' set serves as a playground for the cast. Highlighting Miller's less than ideal socio-economic status, it's appropriately run down and, well, a bit ghetto. Chelsey Schuller's costumes also capture what makes each character unique. Using refined costumes for Harold, Carol, and Colonel Melkett and more artistic choices for Clea and Brindsley, she nicely captures the vast gap between the two groups of characters - both in terms of socio-economic status and career choice as well as personality. Travis McHale's lighting design is crucial for this play to work. He cues the audience in nicely with subtle and not-so-subtle changes in lighting as to how much the characters can see each other throughout the course of their dark evening. Derek V. Knoderer's sound design also adds effective ambience.

Overall, the production is a strong start to No Rules' DC-based theatre scene. The new venue allows for considerable more production elements than what was possible at its former home, H Street Playhouse. Yet, the thing that No Rules is known for - incredible, fearless, and committed acting, has not disappeared. That is definitely a good thing.

Running Time: 90 minutes with no intermission.

No Rules' Black Comedy plays through March 2, 2013 at Signature Theatre - 4200 Campbell Avenue in Arlington, VA. Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at 703-820-9771 or online.

Photo Credit: C. Stanley Photography (Jerzy Gwiazdowski pictured)

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