At least two years of college English Literature should be a requirement for seeing Tom Jacobson's recent work, Bunbury. However, were that true, many of us would miss one of the funniest shows of the season. Arrive a few minutes early, open the program to the page headed, "Referenced Works of Literature," and refresh your memory. It would help to reread Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest and the Bard's Romeo and Juliet, but not much!
Bunbury is directed with panache by Esther Emery. David McBean is Bunbury in all his foppishness, truly a mere idea of Oscar Wilde. He meets the lovely Rosaline (Melissa Fernandes) an idea from Will Shakespeare. Bunbury is "blessed" with a piano virtuoso butler, Harley (Tom Zohar), who seems to always be at the right place at the appropriate moment. Bunbury and Rosaline set out on a quest to change literature's many tragic endings into happy ones. They never appeared on stage (Bunbury in Earnest and Rosaline in Romeo.)
If you can, imagine Romeo as a soontobe father and Juliet as a shrewish wife. Think of Virginia Woolf or Blanche Dubois. The mind easily boggles, and it will in this delightful spoof of literature and the English language. Rosaline has a penchant for alliteration, which deeply offends Bunbury. They continually get caught up in rhyming.
Wendy Waddell gleefully works her way through Juliet, Cecily, Irena, and Blanche. She is totally into each character.
John Rosen is a delight as Friar Lawrence and continues as a Lawyer, George, and especially Old Algernon. Aaron Marcotte is Algernon (the younger) as well as Allan and Estragon.
Diane Addis is Lady Bracknell, Olga, Martha, and Old Cecily. Her scene with Rosen in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf is a classic. Chris Buess plays the two sides of Romeo (before and after the marriage) as well as Jack. Unseen, but heard, is Craig Huisenga. His voice is heard on the television in a contemporary segment proving that small changes can lead to worldwide changes.
Scenic designer Nick Fouch's series of drapes provide many smaller playing areas as well as a chance for the backstage crew to bring in set pieces. Christian DeAngelis' light design creates many of the areas. Amy Chini's imaginative props work well for the vast range of centuries and locations. Jennifer Brawn Gittings's costumes help define the given time periods. Sound designer Kristal Ip helps develop the eccentric mode of this delightful comedy.
Have fun seeing glimpses of Three Sisters, A Streetcar Named Desire, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Waiting for Godot and The Raven. What fun; absolute excellence in acting, a delightful script and a creative production. This is definitely a must see.
