Sorry Wrong Chimney
The current show at the Newport Playhouse is the funny farce, "Sorry Wrong Chimney". The show takes place in the NY apartment of a newly married couple David and Samantha Tuttle. It is ten days before Christmas and David has been secretly playing Santa to earn enough money to buy Sam a diamond necklace. Problems ensue with Sam's phone call to the office, finding out David isn't working there at night and the constant barging in of their neighbors Bill and his snooty wife, Natalie. Bill is a psychiatrist who loves to hypnotize people. Add a slightly off balance Santa burglar who thinks he is really Santa Claus and punishes people who have been behaving badly, his tough gun toting gun moll, Sheila and a stripping policeman into the mix to add to the merriment of this Christmas farce with a standing ovation as their reward at the close of the show.
Director Sandy Cerel and producer Matt Siravo cast each role
very well. Sandy adds the physical comedy to the show. The fast
paced timing and delivery is accomplished by her talented cast. Some of
the physical actions include chasing after people around the
sofa,striptease dancing, two people falling on top of each
other on the couch and hiding in front of the sofa. All these
farcical elements are handled adeptly under Sandy's guidance. Her stage
manager Henryce Zannini keeps the show running smoothly all night long.
Nishan Lawton and Andi Flax as David and Sam are wonderful as the newly
married couple. He is at ease in many variety of roles whether this script
calls for him to act normally or comically. Nishan's nervous behavior when
being questioned by Natalie is a hoot. and he is especially funny
chasing Sheila around the stage when he is under hypnosis, making the
transition from one character to another beautifully. His confusion and
befuddled looks at the situations around him are displayed perfectly. Andi
who is a gorgeous statuesque blonde,is his sexy counterpart. She wears
a short red pajama ensemble, little red boot slippers and a Santa
hat. Andi's comic facial expressions and movements display the behavior
of a loved starved wife of six months and her jealous behavior after
misinterpreting an innocent conversation between David and Natalie is
right on the money. Some of the crazy and wild moments she gives
the audience include her long kissing scene with Nishan, being chased by
Nishan and Santa, and lying on top of Bill on the sofa. Nishan and
Andi are very talented performers and deliver many humorous
moments in this show.
The crazy neighbors are played by Rick Bagley as Bill, the coke
bottle glasses wearing analytical shrink who thinks Sam is in love
with him and Sarah Dunn as Natalie, his nouveau rich snooty wife who knows
David is secretly Santa but keeps the secret quiet, leading to fun filled
chaos. Rick plays the absent minded Bill excellently. He forgets to take
his key with him having left his apartment dressed in pajamas, slippers
and a robe. Rick's costume change into David's mismatched suit, wearing
different color socks and shoes on each foot to keep his wife
from finding out he is in the Tuttle's apartment is one of the funniest
moments in the show. He is a well seasoned actor and makes Bill, the
perfect fool especially in his know-it-all hypnosis scenes where he uses a
shiny tree ornament. Bill has the wrong guys in love with the wrong
girls, thinking Santa is David and during the chase scene hypnotizes
everyone into slowing down and falling asleep on the floor. It is a
humorous and satiric commentary on the psychiatric profession. Sara's
constant barging in on the newlyweds is very funny especially when
she catches her husband and Sam having fallen on the sofa
accidentally while he pretends to be David. And when David arrives home,
it adds to more confusion. Sara handles the shrink's wife with ease and
her best moment comes in the hypnotizing the cop into dancing around
the room scene. Sara's reactions to the cop are wonderful.
Jonathan Keene is a hoot as the demented Kris Kreigle who thinks he
is Santa. It is a must see comic turn. Kris steals everything in
sight and delivers the dimwitted character's lines with great
conviction. Jon's chasing and pursuing Andi in and out of doors, his blank
look while being hypnotized, his trying to climb up the chimney when the
cop knocks on the door and hopping around at the close of the
show are standout moments for this topnotch character actor. The tough
broad, Sheila played by Maureen Noel is another off center type who enters
brandishing a gun. But beneath the tough exterior beats a heart of gold,
Sheila returns all the loot Kris steals back to the police station.
Maureen is comical as Sheila. Fred Davison as the hypnotized cop is a
joy to watch. He enters as a serious law enforcer and leaves humiliated by
people he was going to arrest. While under, he wakes up every time fingers
are snapped. The ultimate moment is when he dances up a storm on the stage
while wearing socks and red satin boxers while dancing. The
wildness of the routine leads the audience into gales of laughter. Fred
also built the festive holiday set. The all you can eat buffet before the
show is excellently prepared by Sue Raposa with a scrumptious beef brisket
in gravy as the holiday item and a wonderful after the show Cabaret. Matt
Siravo has been pleasing audiences at the Playhouse for 27 years. So for a
fun filled evening of Christmas cheer, be sure to see "Sorry Wrong
Chimney", you will definitely laugh and enjoy this festive time
of year with this holiday show.
SORRY WRONG CHIMNEY ( 5 November to 31 December,
2009)
Newport Playhouse, 104 Connell Highway, Newport,RI
1(401) 848-PLAY or www.newportplayhouse.com