Review
Along with the bright, energetic colors of spring comes “Scapin,” a wild farce adapted from Moliere by Bill Irwin and Mark O’Donnell. Shine up your funny bone before entering the Bus Barn Theater, where comedy moves into the very seats of the audience. First-row theatergoers may find themselves participants at times – be forewarned.
“Scapin” is physical comedy taken to the extreme. The actors greet us with an amusing juggling act between a man and a woman in clown-like attire, teasing each other with typical “he-she” patter. There is a tiny semblance of a plot with the main character and rogue, Scapin (Noel Wood), a servant to Leander (Lauri Smith), conniving with Sylvestre (Jeremy Koerner), a servant to Octave (Frederik Goris). Their goal, accompanied by much horseplay and charade, is to undo Octave’s father’s plan to marry his son to Zerbinette (Bill Olson).
Like much of the nonsense in commedia dell’arte, we see scampering, dancing, mistaken identities, masks, women taking men’s roles, all the fun and improvisation of classic farce popular on the Continent in the 16th century. Moliere, and even Shakespeare, were very familiar with this type of comedy, but Irwin adds absurdity and sheer manic activity to the mix. The plot is largely immaterial. Almost always, as in “Scapin,” there are two sets of lovers whose fathers, in this case Argante (ej Ndeto) and Geronte (Doll Piccotto), refuse to acknowledge the true love.
Hyacinth (Mary Nitschke) weeps loudly and constantly when she learns of the predicament. Zerbinette, complete with mustache and rangy build, creates an amusing contrast with her beloved Leander.
Noel Wood works successfully to mastermind all the peculiar goings-on and has the devilish expression of Harpo Marx. The audience, thoroughly worn out by all the raunchy chicanery, must yet put up with the chase scene when all the actors run madly about the set into the audience and back again.
True to the genre, the young lovers outwit the grouchy old fathers and all is well in their world. Irwin adds a very modern touch by satirizing lawyers as well as tightwad parents.
Brooks White plays on a keyboard programmed to produce music and appropriate sound effects for the enjoyment of this whirlwind comedy. Director David Kurtz keeps the action going at an extraordinary pace and succeeds in making a usually well behaved audience join in with raucous laughter.
“Scapin” plays at the Bus Barn Theater in Los Altos through April 21. For tickets and information, call the box office at 941-0551.
