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| John Lina & Aria Bailey in Becky's New Car. Photo – Little Colonel Playhouse. |
Becky's New Car
By Steven Dietz
Directed by Jeff Mangum
Reviewed by Keith Waits
Entire contents copyright © 2013 by Keith Waits.
All rights reserved.
As the titular character explains at the beginning,
"... When a woman says she wants a new house, she really wants a new
husband; and when she says she wants a new car, she really means she wants a
new life." So Becky's New Car is a tale of mid-life
crisis from a distaff perspective. The pattern is familiar: grown son,
questioning of both the marriage and the career. An itch that has to be
scratched.
It is a comedic examination of one woman's journey
into adventure that includes deceit and infedility, which makes Becky, on paper
at least, a somewhat less-than-sympathetic character. But the quick-witted
dialogue and a performance of great charm from Aria Bailey allow the audience
to engage with the character in a meaningful way.
The first act moves at a leisurely pace that gently
introduces us to Becky's whimsical skepticism about how unsatisfied she is with
her life. Her genial husband, Joe (Tom Dunbar), seems oblivious to the growing
distance; and her 26-year-old son Chris (Anthony Chaffin) is a psychology major
who has no immediate plans to leave home. When a suave widower named Walter
(John Lina) steps into the car dealership where Becky works to buy nine cars as
employee bonuses, a slight misunderstanding leads to a new romantic
relationship in her life.
Although the cast delivers good work here, there
are some fumbled lines and dropped cues that, curiously, reinforce a certain
shaggy-dog quality to the playing that informs the humor and empathy. The
script has Becky deliver narration directly to the audience and employs
several moments of audience interaction, such as when two women are recruited
to assist Becky in an onstage costume change. The consistent breaking of the
"fourth wall" establishes an intimate relationship with the audience
that invites a unique level of identification. It makes the ragged edges seem
more naturalistic yet never sacrifices the sure-fire laughs that arrive at a
steady pace.
The second act complications do strain the
production, as the level of coincidence and turnabout mount at a rapid pace. But that shaggy charm wins the day and keeps the audience fully involved to the
end. Aside from the aformentioned principals, Jane Mattingly and Teresa Wentzel
deliver sparkling support as Walter's daughter Kenni and family friend Ginger,
respectively. Charles Wade is very funny as Steve, a car salesman who works
with Becky, although he is the one member of the cast guilty of chewing a
little scenery.
The settings are more spare than what we are used
to seeing at Little Colonel, but effective enough, with the modest stage
allowing three separate locations and travel time in an automobile.
In the end, the plot interjects some more serious
notes that remind us of the personal responsibility that comes from the type of
choices that Becky makes – a bracing but minimal bit of balance to the levity
that gives this winning comedy a little more meat on the bone than one might
expect.
Becky's New Car
June 13, 14, 15, 21, 22 and 27 at 8 p.m.
June 16 and 23 at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for Adults; $12 for Seniors
(60+) and students. Reservations strongly recommended by calling 588-1557.
LCP does NOT accept credit cards, so please come
prepared.
Little Colonel Playhouse
302 Mt. Mercy Drive
Crestwood, KY 40014
502-588-1557
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