GIVE YOURSELF A PRESENT

Go see Present Laughter! We love Sir Noel Coward. Fortunately he wrote over 50 works before he passed away and we intend to see as many revivals of his plays as possible. So much of his work is purposefully flamboyant…just as he was when he was alive.

PRESENT LAUGHTER is the Roundabout’s latest offering at the American Airlines Theater. It’s a small but great space and we love to sit in the center orchestra – around the 4, 5 or 6th row…left side on the aisle. A volunteer usher befriended us and said we were in the ideal area if any celebs were going to be in the audience. Not two minutes later she turned away and who came to sit right behind us but the ever gracious Ron Rifkin and his lovely wife Iva. We love the way he portrays Saul (brother of Sally Field’s character Nora Walker) in Sunday night’s TV show Brothers & Sisters. The usher returned, saw Ron and asked us who he was!! The Rifkins by the way, are apparently devotees of Noel Coward, having seen productions of Present Laughter in several cities.

When the houselights dimmed and the curtain went up it was a tough decision…look straight ahead at the set, which is the gorgeous art deco living room of an upper-upper class London duplex, circa 1925, or swivel our necks around and stare at Ron. Needless to say, we have our standards and ignored Ron until the second intermission.

Victor Garber is just perfect as Gary Essendine. The title character’s name does beget the question of whether or not Coward was Jewish…Essendine? Yiddish for eat-dine!!!! Let us try to stay focused, there is no deep message here, this is a fun two hours of physical humor based on great staging and terrific timing. The very accomplished Harriet Harris is wonderful as Essendine’s long suffering secretary. Lisa Banes is the ex, but soon to be re-wife. Pamela Jane Gray and Holley Fain are wonderful passing love interests and Nancy Carroll as the Scottish cigarette-hanging-from-the mouth housekeeper is predictable but terrific, reminiscent of Irene Ryan in Pippin.

Brooks Ashmanskas steals the show with his over-the-top portrayal of gay playwright Roland Maule, who is obsessed with Essendine. He is so affected…so stereotyped…so aware of how he is playing the role that he’s just sheer joy to watch. Actually, he doesn’t even need to speak. He could depend entirely on his body and facial expressions to portray the role. He and Garber play off one another flawlessly and Garber utilizes a bit with checking his hair in a mirror throughout the play that is also predictable but much fun.

We are back where we started. Want to have two and a half hours of fun? Give yourself the present of PRESENT LAIUGHTER.