REVIEW - Bedroom Farce at the Adobe

RAVING RICHARD RADIO REVIEW, FOR LIVE BROADCAST ON JULY 15, 2008 KKMI, 1000 A.M., ALBUQUERQUE, AND 94.7 F.M., SANTA FE

GREETINGS, THEATREGOERS! THIS WEEK'S COMMENTARY ON LIVE THEATRE FOCUSES ON ONE OF THE FUNNIEST COMEDIES YOU'RE APT TO SEE-IT'S A PLAY CALLED "BEDROOM FARCE," NOW PLAYING AT THE ADOBE, AND IS IT EVER A RIOT! THE WORD BEDROOM IN THE TITLE SHOULDN'T DISTURB ANYONE IN THIS KKIM AUDIENCE-IT COULD BE STAGED IN THE LIVING ROOM OR DINING ROOM, BUT LET'S FACE-THE BEDROOM CONNOTATION DOES GIVE IT A TAD MORE INTEREST IN-SO-FAR AS A PLAY RELATING TO "AN EXAGGERATED COMEDY BASED ON BROADLY HUMOROUS, HIGHLY UNLIKELY SITUATIONS," QUOTING WEBSTER'S NEW WORLD DICTIONARY.

THE PLAYWRIGHT IS ALAN AYCKBOURNE, WHOSE BRITISH PLAYS PRESENT ORDINARY PEOPLE IN EXTRAORDINARY SITUATIONS-A COMEDIC FORMULA HE USES IN HIS MANY OTHER WORKS. BUT THE SCRIPT ALONE IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP IN MAKING THIS AN HILARIOUS PRODUCTION-IT'S THE TALENTED HAND OF DIRECTOR TAUNYA CRILLY WHO BRINGS OUT THE ACTION AT A FAST PACE, KEEPING THE AUDIENCE IN STITCHES IN EVERY SEQUENCE WITH THE CAST SHE'S SELECTED, WHO ARE TERRIIFIC, EVERY ONE: HUGH WITEMEYER, WHO'S NEVER BEEN BETTER; NINETTE MORDAUNT, WHO ALWAYS GIVES A SUPERB PERFORMANCE; JENNIFER LLOYD, ALWAYS THE BEST THERE IS FOR WHATEVER PART; JOSEPH WEST, A CONSUMMATE COMIC ACTOR WHO REALLY SHINES IN THIS ROLE; MATT HEATH, WHO BRING OUT THE MANY VARIANCES IN HIS ROLE, OF WHICH THERE'RE MANY; PLUS THE SAME FOR MQRGAIN DAVIDSON AND JENNY MILLER; ALSO, REMY ROTENIER, A CONVINCING BEDRIDDEN PATIENT, WHO RISES TO THE OCCASION WITH HIS CUSTOMARY DRAMATIC FLAIR.

FOR DETAILS OF THE PLOT, SEE THE FEATURE ARTICLE IN FRIDAY'S ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL BY AURELIO SANCHEZ. IF YOU ENJOY COMEDY, BOTH THE ANTICS AND WITTY LINES, BE SURE TO SEE "BEDROOM FARCE." IT CONTINUES WEEKENDS AT THE ADOBE THROUGH AUGUST 3; CALL 898-9222 FOR RESERVATIONS WHILE SEATS ARE AVAILABLE. YOU'LL HAVE FUN, I KNOW.

SPEAKING OF THE JOURNAL, THERE ARE OTHER WORTHWHILE PLAYS MENTIONED-BUT FOR PERSONAL REASONS, LET ME COMMENT ON JUST ONE-ARTHUR MILLER'S CLASSIC PLAY, "THE "CRUCIBLE," PRESENTED AT HOPE EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH, 4710 JUAN TABO N.E, A HALF-MILE NORTH OF MONTGOMERY. THE SETTING FOR THIS PLAY IS THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS, WITH DIRECTION BY MATTHEW NAEGELI-REMEMBER HIS FABULOUS PRESENTATION LAST SUMMER OF "MY FAIR LADY'-THE BEST MUSICAL STAGED LOCALLY COMPETING WITH GALA POPEJOY PRODUCTIONS, IN MY OPINION. "THE CRUCIBLE" RUNS WEEKENDS THROUGH JULY 27, AND FOR RESERVATIONS BEFORE IT SELLS OUT, CALL 688-4642.

THOSE ARE MY BEST SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW PLAYS TO SEE THIS WEEKEND-WITH THESE COMMENTARIES BY ME, RAVING RICHARD, HEARD HERE ON KKIM, 1000 A.M., CHRISTIAN RADIO FOR NEW MEXICO, AND SIMULCAST ON 94.7 F.M., SANTA FE-ALSO SEEN ON THE STATION'S WEB, KKIMAM1000.COM, AND IN THE NEW SPOTLIGHT ON LIVE THEATRE, ABQTHEATRE.ORG. I'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK, SAME TIME AND STATION, REVIEWING "THE CRUCIBLE," AND AGAIN, THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN LIVE THEATRE HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTA FE.