Henry the Horse has all of the right ingredients. Director Pam Benjamin amusingly interprets playwright Tom Hyatt's script and has brought to it a cast of enthusiastic, talented performers.
As the marriage of struggling artist Henry and Rita passes the third week, they begin to find each other's idiosyncratic behavior annoying. He eats ice cream with a fork -- how gauche! She, of course, is not quite perfect either -- but then, who is? His parents, Muriel and Jack have been in a constant spat for 27 years. Then there are their dear friends Claire and Matt, who have moments when wedded bliss ain't what it used to be. Add to this mix Marta and Kristy the Cat, a couple with some issues.
Playwright Hyatt effectively runs the spectrum of humor from slapstick to satire. This includes a narrator, Cup of Sugar, played by Matt Davis. It's been five years since I last saw Davis at Scripps Ranch High School. He was good then; he is outstanding now. Davis is both the narrator and waiter/neighbor of Henry and Rita. A Manhattan apartment building, which includes the restaurant, is the setting.
Landon Vaughn plays a confused and frustrated Henry entering that trying experiment called marriage. Diminutive Jen Meyer is equally challenged by her new life as a couple. Both are excellent as they combat the newness of their lives together. Friends Claire (Allyson Collins) and Matt (Patrick Switzer) solve few problems and add more problems. Collins plays a way-too-dumb blond with rare moments of clarity. Matt is a typical egocentric male convinced that women see him as a love object.
Frank Teplin, alternating with Simon Graves, is Henry's father Jack with Judith Merel playing his wife, Muriel. Merel's interpretation is a screeching, intolerant shrew, while Teplin's Jack is the put-upon husband constantly bending to the demands of his wife.
Enter gay couple Marta (Bethany Lockhart) and Kristy the Cat (Shannon Ray). Lockhart plays a tough, no-nonsense lover who is willing to kill for her union. Ray's Cat is a flirt, who can't resist the temptation of teasing a man. Her target, newlywed Henry. Sandra Little, whom we see too little of, is Madam Kite, a gallery owner interested in Henry's work.
Hyatt, in this broad comedy, gives each character an easy stereotype. Benjamin takes these stereotypes and brings to the stage some rather wild moments, some poignant moments, and some totally insane moments -- all of which play well to an appreciative audience. Hyatt is a promising playwright already possessing an impressive string of credits. We are going to see a lot more from this creative mind.
Jeff Jones' sound design is simple but effective. His lighting design, along with director Benjamin, focuses on the various areas of the large stage's two sets. They incorporate some cute tricks of lighting for the narrator and various scenes in the restaurant.
Henry the Horse is an amusing, frenetic look at relationships. It provides a delightful evening's entertainment.
