Glendale News-Press Teahouse Review 11-2-2005
Mood:
celebratory
Now Playing: www.glendalecentretheatre.com
Topic: Drama
http://www.glendalenewspress.com/entertainment/story/28705p-41522c.htmlTHEATER REVIEW
'Teahouse' is steeped in humor
By LISA DUPUY
Our humble town is lucky to have a theater company as creative, energetic
and prolific as the 59-year-young Glendale Centre Theatre.
Charging minimal prices for maximum fun, the owners strive to keep Broadway
alive and the theater-going public happy.
Their latest adaptation of the Pulitzer prize-winning Broadway comedy, "The
Teahouse of the August Moon," is no exception.
"Teahouse" is a sentimental journey for the World War II set back to 1946
Okinawa. Upstanding military Col. Wainwright Purdy III, played amusingly by
Don Woodruff, sends the eager young Capt. Fisby (Sean King) on a mission to
bring democracy to the tiny "backward" village of Tobiki.
Fisby's assignment is to hold numerous lectures on the virtues of democracy,
engage the citizens in an industry that builds character as well as
finances, and build a new school in that most impressive of shapes, a
pentagon.
In the end, the industry they pursue is the shady business of brandy
distillation.
And the building turns out to be not a school but a teahouse meant for
geisha lessons and ceremonies.
After trying his best, Capt. Fisby succumbs to the charms of, in general,
the citizens of Tobiki and, in particular, a beautiful geisha named Lotus
Blossom.
Sean King as Fisby and Kazumi Nakamura as Lotus Blossom have some real
chemistry together that plays out best when they resist one another.
There is one scene in which Lotus Blossom is struggling to take off Fisby's
shoes and massage his back and put on his kimono while Fisby grapples with a
phone call to headquarters.
The physical humor is well-choreographed and hilarious.
One could certainly argue that the script is dated.
But in light of recent United States efforts to democratize other parts of
the world, it is somehow timely.
One could also argue that the Japanese characterizations are stereotypical.
But the characters are played so enthusiastically by Japanese and other
non-Caucasian actors, they are totally charming.
Sakini, played by Reggie De Leon, emerges as the clear star, bridging both
worlds as interpreter for the military and hometown resident of Tobiki.
Sakini is wise and playful, clever and persuasive, helpful and at times a
lovable nuisance. In one funny scene, he puckishly convinces Capt. Fisby to
agree to transport a Tobikian mother and her three children, her sister, her
mother and an old man clinging to the back, all on his little Army-issued
jeep.
Getting a jeep quietly center-stage of a theater-in-the-round is an
impressive feat in itself.
In fact, all the props and scenery are good in this production.
The wall hangings are lovely and when the place transforms into the
much-anticipated teahouse, the twinkling lights and ceremonial atmosphere
take your breath away.
The only problem is, you have to wait through two intermissions to see it.
That may be one aspect of the show the producers want to rethink as it makes
the show unnecessarily long for the early-to-bed patrons.
FYI
WHAT: "The Teahouse of the August Moon" by John Patrick
WHERE: Glendale Centre Theatre, 324 N. Orange St., Glendale
WHEN: 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 3 p.m. Saturdays until Nov. 19
TICKETS: $17 Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday matinees; $19
Friday and Saturday evenings; senior and student discounts available.
PHONE: (818) 244-8481
* LISA DUPUY is a writer and daughter of a serviceman once stationed in
Okinawa.
Moment by James H. Lui
at 12:03 PM PDT
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