Rosemary Meagher

‘Almost’ feels just right

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

In troubling times, it is good to take a moment to relax, have a smile or even a laugh, and just look at the Northern Lights.

Welcome to “Almost, Maine,” that quirky township on the edge of the map now reachable through Main Street Productions of Westfield. It seems like every community theatre makes a stop there eventually, and with good reason: In this John Cariani comedy, the series of gentle, funny scenes of love lost and found are refreshing, life-affirming and very entertaining.

For a true community effort, director Kathy Watson selected a full cast for the various characters, with only a couple of actors doubling roles.

Offstage spouses Justin and Anna Spack play a couple who explore just how “close” they can get. Scott Hall is a man who “fixes things” when a camper (Karen Cones) sets up in his yard, and later is a frustrated husband whose wife (Lea Ellingwood) is seeking a shoe – and a sign. It’s “Drink Free If You’re Sad” night at The Moose Paddy, with Aaron Beal, Piper Williams, and Ryley Trottier as the friendly waitress. Beal also spends time with his best bud (Quinn Simonson) comparing “baddest date” stories. Hannah Partridge is an almost-nurse encountering a man (Austin Uebelhor) who almost has that rare condition in which one’s nerves don’t register pain. Amber Roth and Grant Bowen portray a couple who gave so much love to each other – where do you put it all? Jan Borcherding plays Hope, a woman who moved away to find her place in the world, returning to a familiar house with an unfamiliar face (Thom Johnson). Finally, Rosemary Meagher and Mike Sosnowski struggle to see what is right before them, wary of what comes next, or even next-next.

Jeezum-crow! That is a lot going on for such a small (almost) town.

Watson brings out the charming best in a troupe of varying stage experience. Considering the playhouse is in what used to be a small town, the atmosphere is almost perfect. Stage sets and those colorful lights are designed by Kristina Lawyer and producer Bill Miller, whose many jobs included assisting Watson and designing the projected captions over the stage. Jeremy Crouch is stage manager.

Theatrical comfort food to warm a cold month, “Almost, Maine” is open to visitors through Sunday, Feb. 15 (including Valentine’s Day!) at the Westfield Basile Playhouse, 220 N. Union St. Note that there is still ongoing downtown construction, but the way to the theater is clear. Get info and tickets at westfieldplayhouse.org.

Strange and silly spycraft in MCP ‘Best Laid Plans’

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

It can be frustrating, while relaxing in Jamaica working on your next book, when the plots of your spy novels start coming true.

This is the essence of the espionage-themed farce “The Best Laid Plans” by Fred Carmichael, presented by Mud Creek Players, directed by Collin Moore.

Ada Westbrook (Molly Kraus) had tired of writing children’s books and, realizing that spy stories were like fairy tales with guns and sex, drew from her late husband’s work with the U.S. State Department to become “America’s Ian Fleming,” with titles such as “The Seductive Spy.” Her editor and personal assistant Francis Daniels (Lexi Gray) is just glad to no longer proofread stories about silly animals, looking forward to her working vacation with Ada in their beachside island home.

A rather nosy neighbor, Phoebe (Rosemary Meagher) appears, claiming to know one of Ada’s friends, gaining an invitation to come over later for cocktails. Also invited is one of Ada’s husband’s former colleagues Hubert (Ronan Marra), whose son Guy (Matthew Ball) is dating her granddaughter Gail (Lane Fiorini) – they are on their way as well.

Meanwhile, a rather pushy man (Kevin Smith) comes in claiming to work for The Government, saying due to her State Department ties, Ada has been chosen as an intermediary to receive The Plans in an exchange that prevents Them from stealing these threats to national security. She is only given the Swiss bank book to be exchanged, as well as a flowery password exchange, before this Mr. Dike (pronounced “deek”) slips out to his boat, which promptly blows up.

From here, things get complicated, strange – and hilarious.

A very eager Russian-sounding agent, Goralsky (Lark Green), arrives with the right password but apparently dies before completing the exchange.

Then, Phoebe and her husband Vincent (Rob Kent) arrive and – you remember that TV show “The Americans”? These two didn’t do as well in Russian infiltrator school. Also, there’s another agent, Michael (Connor Phelan), who is apparently quickly dispatched.

And Hubert keeps talking to his shoe.

On top of this, Gail and Guy make their own macabre discovery, and deal with it as best they can (badly).

From all this we get constantly-moving bodies that often won’t stay dead, secret identities, repeated failure to find the titular Plans, clever Ada being underestimated, and Francis just needing another drink. For stage buffs, with the use of a window-seat as a hiding place, there are even a couple of references to “Arsenic and Old Lace.”

Kraus thrives playing Ada as the center of attention, while Gray is so cool as the PA who has nearly seen it all, I wondered if Lexi was the secret spymaster. Fiorini and Ball work Gail and Guy’s misunderstandings of the plot into the mix for maximum effect. The others are a nifty mash-up of 007, Get Smart, and Boris & Natasha archetypes working well in this variant of the “slamming door” farce.

For funny with a bit of firepower – and cleverly hidden secrets – “The Best Laid Plans” plays tonight and Sunday (as this posts), July 26-27, as well as July 31-Aug. 2 at the Mud Creek Barn, 9740 E. 86th St., Indianapolis. Get tickets at mudcreekplayers.org.