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| Sharon Cardwell, Candy Thomas, Katie Hay and Martha Frazier in Southern Hospitality. Photo – Little Colonel Playhouse. |
By Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten
Directed by Jeff Mangum
Reviewed by Craig Nolan Highley
Entire contents are copyright © 2013, Craig Nolan Highley. All rights
reserved.
A few weeks ago I watched a DVD of the 1981
television play Eunice, a full-length
expansion of the comedy skits from The
Carol Burnett Show that also inspired the TV series Mama’s Family. At the time, I mused that it was a shame the rights
to Eunice are not available, because
it would be a lot of fun to mount a local production.
Well, if you can’t do Mama’s Family, the plays of Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie
Wooten (known together as Jones Hope Wooten) make a perfect substitute. The
Little Colonel Playhouse’s current production of their Southern Hospitality has that same zany, fast-paced, sitcom-on-steroids humor that was Carol Burnett’s trademark. It has the same
ingredients – high-strung Southern family, mistaken identities, plot twists,
door-slamming, physical comedy, etc. The LCP’s cast, under the sure-handed
direction of Jeff Mangum, is more than up to the challenge.
Southern Hospitality is the third in
Jones Hope Wooten’s saga of the Futrelle sisters of Fayro, Texas. In this
outing we find the town has fallen on hard times, so our protagonists try to
finagle a salsa company into moving its business to Fayro. The ruse involves faking
a bed and breakfast, creating a phony town history including a Civil War
reenactment, and throwing together a town festival with no money.
The comedy comes fast and furious, and at
times it is exhausting to watch. The entire cast gives strong performances,
with some particularly nice work by Anthony Chaffin as John Curtis, a lawman
growing increasingly delusional from sleep deprivation and wedding jitters;
Rick Fletcher as mentally challenged Raynerd Chisum, who remains unflappably
optimistic and clueless even as the chaos explodes around him; Candy Thomas as
the man-hungry Honey Raye, determined to settle a longstanding feud by winning
a talent contest; and Theresa Wentzel as Iney Dubberly, the most hilariously
irate and nasty old biddy you are ever likely to meet.
Emily Miller, Katie Hay, Sharon Cardwell,
Michael McCollum and Janet Morris also turn in some nice work in less show
roles, and director Jeff Mangum keeps the action flowing smoothly,and even
manages to keep the pauses in the action for scene changes mercifully short.
On the downside, there were still some
noticeable line flubs and stumbles that you usually don’t see past the opening
night jitters, but the night I attended was three performances in.
Technical aspects were generally good as
well. The overall set design is functional, but the living room set could have
used some more decorating; it just seemed a bit empty-looking. Lighting and
sound effects for the most part came off without a hitch.
The script itself is one of the playwriting
trio’s better efforts. They’ve never been shy about lifting plot elements from
other media (Christmas Belles
shamelessly sampled A Charlie Brown
Christmas, and The Dixie Swim Club
took structure and story points from Steel
Magnolias, just to name two examples), and Southern Hospitality is no exception. Although it takes its cues
from Waiting for Guffman, it still
manages to feel fresh and hysterically funny.
Treat yourself to a visit to Fayro, Texas,
and check up on the Futrelles. It will take only a short drive to Pewee Valley
for a little bit of Lone Star State right here in Kentucky.
Featuring Sharon Cardwell, Anthony Chaffin,
Rick Fletcher, Martha Frazier, Katie Hay, Jeff Mangum, Michael McCollum, Emily
Miller, Janet Morris, Candy Thomas, Jayme Thomas, Charles Wade and Teresa
Wentzel.
Southern Hospitality
October 3, 4, 5, 11, and 12 at 8 p.m.
October 6 and 13 at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for Adults and $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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