PATCH Entertainment Event: The Foreigner: Far More than A Very Clever Comedy- You'll THINK, Not Just Laugh

Theater Review:  PATCH Entertainment Event:  Long Beach, Belmont Shore,

Naples, Los
Alamitos/Seal Beach

The Foreigner--Long Beach Playhouse:   More than  A Very Clever Comedy, The Writer, Director,
Cast, and Backstage Crews Give Their All To The Wise Message

By: Joseph Sirota

Hoorah for 2013
!!

Time for 8 Cheers-10 times
over-then 5 Cheers more, for the 85th Anniversary of our fine neighbor of live
theater of every type, and every playwright from best known Classics to new
born theater pieces in their very first production, here in our backyard. The
Long Beach Playhouse (LBPH) has been brave and able to mix each season from
Comedy, to Mystery, to Romance, to Musical and more.  Some daring works offer a theatrical porridge

swirling with a bit of all the aforementioned kinds & styles(No cowards

here, except a few Noel Coward plays). A clever choice for Year 85 is THE

FOREIGNER -- an admirably unique diversity of Long Beach Playhouse's "Talent-and-Guts"

stretching the envelope from Raucous Comedy to Near Tragedies-- and from a

seemingly Silly tale, to a memorable surprise which turns into downright issues

of humanity, psychology, politics and humanities' mores. Chuckles and guffaws dominate

early scenes, but, oh those 2nd- ACT scenes ...  will have you startled with amazing laughter and

true tears of joy for the major awakenings of previously, downtrodden

characters, and good-riddances to big-shots exposed as rotten louses. Voila! Some

deemed Foreigners as distained for Not-Fitting-In

and hence tabbed "Not-Normal"...But blossoming into dear friends

& heroes, when  we listen to them,

with open hearts...Not closed ears, & eyes!

Creatively,

playwright, Larry Shue creates a story in the core signature style of using a

daring humorous tale, and then turn it into wise "lessons" we can &

do learn from. (Who Would Expect That?) Shue, himself was a rather young

writer/actor, starting to win and reach audiences with odd humor & ideas. On

his way to lots more creative, thought-providing plays ahead, sadly, his unique

style/messages died, with Shue in an all too soon airplane crash. It's well

worthy to come see for yourself how Shue's play style inventively

at first can seem like a rather outlandish comedy, well-sprinkled, with silly

characterizations, mainly providing smiles and unavoidable chuckles/fun. But we

soon find deep feelings and life's pains inside in core role (Charlie) who is

so afraid of being scoffed by the world as he's been by his wife, that he has locked himself in a self-imposed solitary

life path. Bottled up for so long, Charlie's boyhood only friend, the

well-meaning & oh-so outgoing pal, Froggy, pulls dear Charlie with him, to

a small, rundown Georgia

farmhouse bed-&-breakfast for a weekend. Well-meaning Froggy, hopes the

calm, quiet surroundings and the kind, funny owner, Auntie-Betty may warmly/safely-open Charlie's inner wit and warmth.

Stuck in silence, can such little steps help, Charlie can't even bring himself

to speak to anyone but Froggy? To explain Charlie's silence in life, Froggy

covers by telling Betty and others there that Charlie is a distant Foreigner from a tiny land, who can't

understand or speak English. The few folks there, see Charlie as very strange,

but Betty is Auntish, & tries to befriend Charlie unstressfully. Discover the

other 4 folks as they unfold !!!

Author

Shue & Wise Director Gigi Fusco Meese are both far from

complacent with just seeking giggles. Nope, Shue & Meese both adeptly &

successfully use humor to tackle important, sensitive, serious issues... such

as inner psychological fears, suppressed unspoken feelings, or societal locked

gates in the form of bullies, intolerance and even racism or xenophobia. If

Shue were alive today he'd be pleased with Meese  and the cast's funny, yet sensitive portrayals.

He'd happily recognize his message to distain life's Horrid Damages of

Bullying, Mocking and Barring-Out folks (& Children) because they are

different in some ways. Larry might well smile, and say, I'm glad you all got my message,

of--We're all "Foreigners" in the eyes of others. Some

do coldly push away anyone not following the one-only-correct-life-trail. But don't be lemmings marching

in a line of others' one-ideas...sez this inner play. Shue & Meese challenge

us to rethink & re-feel via humor, not hatred.

The ONE & ONLY Cosmic

Foreigner Actor: Never saw Greg B4

but WOW! is he perfect for the

very daring Charlie other-worldly super-role

Greg Barnett (Charlie).

He handily manages to carry off a

role of virtually no words in Act-I, then goes into after-burner like a rocket

in Act-2!!!

The Two Outgoing, Friendly,

Nice Guys:

As good a duo as you can hope for in constructing the plot, and lighting

up any stage given them.

Mitchell Nunn (Froggy)

is a fine, hi-energy actor that can keep any scene going, any audience

enjoying, & any plot working. I'd

hire him 123 !

Phyllis Nofts (Betty)

might just be a 2nd cousin of M.Nunn, she's also terrific in comedic timing,

warm/caring presence can handle lines well!

The Two Bad Guys: just

wanna' get all the money, control all the power, and

get rid of anybody of any different/morals. It's a darn hard life!

Skip Blas (Owen) Kids himself about

always being a Bad-Guy/Villain, but wise theater/film fans know how crucial the

ominous/dangerous bad-guy is; Heck there'd be no thrill or edge of seat tension

with only well-groomed Heroes.

Jeff Cheezum (David) As a Holy Man with

far more Greed and Lust than Soul, this Nasty-Dude handles a real tough role--Keeping

a rich fiancée quiet-- controlling an angry, big, bashing partner, while the

Foreigner turns into a Hero.

Brother & Sister Roles:  Though working with limited

time/clarity by the script to solidly create their background lives, they

really fly in Act-2!!

James

Paul Xavier (Ellard) & BriAnna

Hill (Catherine) They sure win us over to care, once we see

them releasing themselves (ala Charlie).

In

addition to Director Gigi Fusco Meese and the

well-adept/chosen cast, LBPH's backstage team very well creates all the things

& the-know-how, that make the show a delightful/magical event and earns

audience applause for their hard work and creative abilities: Sean Gray(Set

Design); Donna Fritsche(Costumes); Daniel Driskol(Lighting);  Larry Mura(Sound/Props);  Scenic Painter(Drew Otero). A fine Production A-Z !

_______________________________________________________

==> Long Beach Playhouse Mainstage

Theatre, 5021 E.Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA.  Sched:

Fri & Sat 8:PM.    

Sun matinees @ 2:PM.  Closes:

Oct 26.   Tkts: $24 ($21 Senior, $14 Student). Call: (562) 494-1014

  Website:

www.LBPlayhouse.org