Fanatical philatelist is freaky! Prolific playwright, screenwriter, TV writer, fiction writer, novelist Theresa Rebeck has crafted a delightfully twisting tale of cons, deceit, and lies in Mauritius. Premiering in San Diego at Cygnet Theatre's Rolando Stage under director Francis Gercke's creative hand, the play challenges the audience to try to find the truth.
Going through their recently deceased mother's effects, half sisters Mary (Sandy
Campbell) and Jackie (Jessica John) come across a stamp album. A couple of stamps (a Mauritius One Penny and a Two Penny) may be fakes or worth millions. One other stamp misprinted (central image upside down) could also be of significant value. Nothing could possibly create more dissention between step-siblings than potential wealth.
Elder sister Mary tends to take control over her younger sister. She also can swing from being an intolerable person to a totally false, sweet sister when it serves her purposes. We get the feeling that she believes in honor when it suits her. She is manipulative and a bit arrogant. Campbell is a strong, very effective Mary, handling her wide range of emotions with ease.
Jackie seems to be quite unsophisticated during much of the play. She often defers to her older sister, though apparently under duress. She has both innocence and almost childlike enthusiasm. It isn't until the second act that we find there is more to Jackie than she lets on. The transformation comes almost too fast. But we accept it. John is a delight to watch. We empathize with her, even if she may be, just a tiny bit, less than honest.
Meeting Sterling is your worst nightmare. Manny Fernandez portrays a man of dubious reputation involved in less than honest businesses who always gets what he wants. And he wants those two very valuable stamps. He is willing to pay a 'fair' under-market price in untraceable cash. He personifies evil. He unflinchingly inflicts damage on a majority of the cast in the first act. I may never be able to look Fernandez in the eye again.
There is one man that knows his stamps. He is Phillip (Jack Missett) of P&J Philatelic Co. He can detect a flaw from across the room. Phillip is a mishmash of contradictions. He can be extremely aloof or sly or could he also be a con artist. Missett plays Phil close to his chest, leaving us always unsure of his true nature.
John DeCarlo is con artist Dennis. Like Phillip one can never be sure what this mouse will do next. Will he turn into a true rat? Will he ever tell a total truth, unembellished with lies or, at the very least, interpretations that won't heavily taint his words? Doubtful! While he painfully fears Sterling, he easily tries his cons on everybody else.
Five people, each sharply defined and sharply portrayed with a single goal. All, in their own ways, are con artists. Sterling, for all of his evilness, appears to have more ethics than any of the others. Mary is devious to the end. Phillip makes a calculated decision that adds a strange twist. Jackie is not as innocent as we suspect...or is she? Dennis shows us a new side of his character...or is it a con?
Much of the credit for this excellent production goes to director Francis Gercke. He brought a talented group of actors together and makes every movement on stage have meaning. Sean Fanning's masterful set includes large hinged walls that quickly go back and forth from the two major locations. A very short scene
has its separate space. Jessica John's costumes offer further definition to each character, from Mary's severe suit in the last scene to Dennis' stylized sloppiness.
Sound and lighting designers Matt Lescault-Wood and Eric Lotze do their usual highly professional job in further defining the set. Bonnie L. Durben's props work well. George Ye's fight choreography is so convincing, most of the audience was convinced that Jessica John was hurt when Fernandes slammed her to the floor and then picked her up like a rag doll. I hope that Stage Manager Nichole Hanzal had a handy first aid kit.
Mauritius is an excellent production. While just a tad too long for the plot points, it does keep the audience wondering just how many cons there can be in one play. The cast, in their well-defined roles, give an excellent performance.
