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Noel Coward's 'Star Quality' gets ... (a) witty, erudite and thoroughly glimmering production ... an excellent cast, brisk direction from Vincent O'Neill and Coward's deliciously overblown and moralistic script about 'the routine delusions of stardom.' The show, adapted by Coward from his original short story, is rarely produced. ... it focuses on a young and naive playwright (Chris Critelli) who is mounting his first major prouction at a West End theatre. He is pinned between the enormously fragile egos of the show's director, Ray Malcolm (Chris Corporandy), and (Lorraine) Barrie (Josephine Hogan), its temperamental star. The action revolves mostly around Barrie's attempts to control the play's production and Malcolm's simmering and explosive attempts to keep Barrie inline. As Bryan Snow, the playwright, Critelli renders naivete quite well, adding awkward chuckles where necessary. Coward gives most of his verbal fireworks to Malcolm, and in Corporandy's hands they become deadly weapons of wit and condescension. Kathleen Betsko Yale shines as the sage and nosy maid Nora, as do Gerry Maher as the troubled actor Gerry Wentworth and Colleen Gaughan as the "repertory hack" Marion Blake. David Autovino is way over the top as Malcolm's swishy assistant Tony Orford, but then that seems to be the point. Ron Schwartz's set makes the best possible use of the theatre's space and Brian Cavanagh's lighting works wonders to set dark moods and evoke levity as needed. Tom Makar's sound is unobtrusive and charming, as are costumes by Kate E. Palame. ... a bloody good show. From The New Theatre Season The Irish Classical Theatre Company has returned to Noel Coward, who always does well for them, with Christopher Luscombe’s adaptation of Star Quality. Stylishly directed by Vincent O’Neill, the play features ICTC’s resident star, Josephine Hogan, as incandescent Lorraine Barrie. In this role, Hogan arguably stretches beyond her comfort zone, but decidedly into the hearts of her audience. Chris Critelli is perfect as a guileless first time playwright, trapped between the tyrannical director, brilliantly played by Chris Corporandy, and Hogan’s appealing primadonna. Star Quality Curtain Up rose last weekend with its brightest light flickering. Even the Studio Arena blinked on, with a unique cameo featuring esteemed Buffalo export Stephen McKinley Henderson and, in cruel irony, recently unemployed Studio Artistic Director Kathleen Gaffney. The Studio’s tragic closure leaves three professional theaters downtown, the Road Last Travelled in the Market Arcade Cinema, the Alleyway in the old Greyhound terminal and the Irish Classical, which opened a seldom-seen Noel Coward play, “Star Quality.” There was laughter a-plenty before the play took an abrupt turn into a tribute to those who compress their own egos enough to put on a show.
“Star Quality” sheds light on a lot of dirty little backstage secrets. There’s a fledgling playwright, a major actress just slightly over the hill, a cunning, iron-willed director and a couple of less capable journeyman troupers. (This description applies to the characters, and not the actors who portray them.)
Its wit borders on breathless. An off-stage actress is described as “all gong and no dinner,” and when the playwright asks, “Why can’t these people act normal,” he is reminded “There wouldn’t be a theater if they did.”
At the heart of it is the diva’s insistence on a barely adequate supporting actress, who won’t show her up. Colleen Gaughan portrays this accommodating old wannabe with affectionate brilliance. Also superb is Kathleen Betsko Yale as the diva’s wise and patient serving lady.
As the diva and the director, Josephine Hogan and Chris Corporandy have a shout-down reminiscent of the brawls in Coward’s classic “Private Lives.” Hogan’s performance is rounded with subtle hints as to the star’s inner energies and vulnerabilities. Terrific work.
David Autovino plays another backstage power broker, the director’s assistant in more ways than one. While Autovino’s work is swift and cultured, for Rocket Man’s tastes, there were about two too many pinkies to the eyebrow. We get it.
Stagecraft includes stars embossed into the set itself by designer Ron Schwartz and one scene in which a dressing room and a cabaret dining room are realized simultaneously, heavenly work by Vincent O’Neill, director.
Among Coward plays, this is not the first Noel. Why does the director wait so long to fire the “repertory hack”? And why does a first-time playwright declared, “I hate opening nights”? Withal, a preview audience loved it.
“Star Quality” shines through Oct. 12. EIGHT ROCKETS (out of 10) (Fire back to Rocket Man at pollyndoug@hotmail.com) |
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