The Catskill Chronicle

Review by Carol Montana, Photos by John Knapp

ELLENVILLE, NY (August 25, 2011) – The latest offering at Shadowland Theatre in Ellenville is a side-splitting French farce entitled “The Ladies Man.” Freely translated and adapted by Charles Morey from “Tailleur pour dames” an 1889 farce by George Feydeau, “The Ladies Man” tells the story of a French doctor’s tiny lie to his suspicious young wife to cover a slight, but embarrassing indiscretion.

Add to the mix a horrific mother-in-law, a patient with a lisp, meddlesome servants, an insanely jealous Prussian soldier, another patient whose libido won’t quit, mistaken identities, misunderstandings, coincidences and breakneck action, and you have a farce that easily takes its place among the best farces ever to be performed at Shadowland including “The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged)” and “The Mystery of Irma Vep.”

Steve Brady (photo left) as Dr. Molineaux, is delightfully confused and achingly naive in thinking that he won’t be found out. And he gets funnier and funnier as he embellishes his little fib till it becomes a whopper the size of the tallest summit of the French Alps.

Ashley Ellenburg (at left in photo right) is superb as Molineaux’s wife, Yvonne, the  the sweet and pretty young thing, equally confused by all the shenanigans and goings on. Although a trifle high-pitched and shrill on opening night, she does the part of the injured wife with much skill and talent.

The maid, Marie (photo right) – just one of the interfering servants – is acted by Molly Parker Myers. She comes and goes with an impertinent and curious manner as if everything going on in the house is her business. She is amusing and entertaining.

Michael Irvin Pollard is uproariously funny as Bassinet, the troublesome patient/real estate agent with the ever-riotous lisp. As he is shuffled from one door to the next, his fascinating facial expressions induce peels of laughter from the clearly delighted audience.

Into this hysterical confusion walks Liz Zazzi as Madame Aigreville, Yvonne’s mother. Snooping, prying and pushy beyond belief, Zazzi’s character is a know-it-all, haughty and overbearing. Truly the mother-in-law of your worst nightmares.

Meghan Wolf (photo left) is Suzanne Aubin, the sultry and seductive patient of Dr. Molineaux who doesn’t want to take no for an answer. She is luscious and intoxicating, and Wolf makes it easy to see why the doctor is having such a hard time resisting her advances.

Her husband Gustave is a domineering, boisterous and larger than life Prussian soldier. David Smilow’s performance is perfectly imperious and tyrannical, dictatorial and masterfully hysterical.

Completing the cast is the butler Etienne, performed in a marvelous over-the-top manner by Wayne Pyle (photo below). Pyle’s character is the epitome of the bold and brazen servant who minds everyone’s business but his own. He is insolent and rude, inquisitive and overbearing, conceited and self-assured. And his performance is absolutely exhilarating. This is acting at its finest. 

The set, designed by Drew Francis, works brilliantly. With four single doors, one double door, a double window and a wonderful surprise element, it is the perfect set for a play that incorporates all the comings and goings, and slamming doors of a classic farce.

Wonderful period costumes are designed by Eleanor Wolfe.

And Brendan Burke, who did such a fine job as an actor in those farces listed above, has fashioned an ambitious, fascinating and yes, absurd and ridiculous piece of theatre, that is above all entertaining and rich in the classical tradition. Bringing together a superb cast, and a top-notch technical crew, his direction is impeccable.

And it’s all topped off by a curtain call choreographed to “Can-Can” (or more correctly in the French “cancan”) that literally leaves you breathless.

“The Ladies Main” is playing now through September 11 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. For tickets call the box office at 845-647-5511. Take advantage of the 24-hour reservation line and call today. You do not want to miss this show!