American Ambassador to England Harry Douglas (gleaming-eyed Don Walker) wants to use his weekend country home to rendevous with sexy neighbor Marian (sophisticated Alison Dietz) while his wife Lois (Jenny Aldrich, so lovely you wonder why her hubbie would stray) visits a spa. Little does amorous Harry know, when he solicits butler Perkins (Ron Halvorsen, veddy proper) to be "the soul of discretion," that Perkins has just made the same promise to Debbie Douglas. A true chip off her amorous father's block, Debbie (nimble Anne Marie Nestor) intends to vamp boyfriend Joe (funny Stevan Diklich), who isn't convinced her parents are as staid as she thinks. How right he is! To complicate matters, a bomb threat at the London embassy means its business gets transferred to the Ambassador's retreat, along with his dumb brunette secretary Faye Baker (busty Patti Eyler, fitting, too, as a bust at any job, simple to complex). Strict, suspicious marine Capt. South (frazzled Brad Wages) appears at first to guard the "embassy" and stays to examine suspicious shenanigans. Those come a-plenty!
If there s a pun or sight gag author Parker has missed, you wouldn't know it from this farce. Harry almost gets caught costumed as his fantasy lover, Tarzan, out to swing with his French maid (get it?) Marian. Tall Joe has to cross-dress as Debbie's gal pal; even silly-in-satin "Josephine" attracts Harry for a chase or two. Frequently opened doors keep flattening Capt.South, Joe gets his crotch caught in a zipper while Miss Baker gets caught in phone wires and Perkins' hand is glued to her backside.
Costumes, besides being appropriate, aid the raucous romping. The set, with all its doors and requisite living room sofa bed, is functional, if bland. In short, everyone and everything fits -- obviously for an audience that likes its plays old-fashioned silly more than sexy.
Opened:
November 27, 2002
Ended:
December 29, 2002
Country:
USA
State:
Florida
City:
Venice
Company/Producers:
Coastal Theater Productions
Theater Type:
Regional; Dinner Theater
Theater:
Golden Apple Dinner Theater
Theater Address:
447 North U.S. 41 Bypass
Phone:
941-484-7711
Running Time:
2 hrs, 15 min
Genre:
Comedy
Director:
Michael Parker
Review:
Cast:
Don Walker, Ron Halvorsen, Anne Marie Nestor, Jenny Aldrich, Alison Dietz, Stevan Diklich, Brad Wages, Patti Eyler.
Technical:
Set & Lights: Ben Turoff; Costumes: Marcia Dahlquist; Stage Mgr.: Garry Breul
Other Critics:
SARASOTA HERALD TRIBUNE Jay Handelman ?
Miscellaneous:
The Amorous Ambassador is a sequel to Parker's 1988, Sensuous Senator.
Critic:
Marie J. Kilker
Date Reviewed:
December 2002
