Gothie productions presents version of 1920s play
By Heather Milo
Acorn Staff Writer

LET ME GET THAT FOR YOU--From left, Marq del Monte, Yvonne Golomb and Suzanne McNabb Tobin rehearse a scene from the play.

The 1920s was a time when the middle class was more like the upper crust, complete with drivers and live-in maids, at least, so says the setting that is "The Torch Bearers," a play written by George Kelly and produced by Gothic Productions. Directed by Michael Jordan, "The Torch Bearers" presents a collection of "middle class" men and women who aspire to put on a play in a small Midwestern town, despite the challenges of a dangerous stage set, spouses that haphazardly wander into harm’s way and the questionable reaction of the town’s audience.

The Torch Bearers is playing at The Backlot Theater at 1408 East Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m., April 25-May 10. The theater is located at the back of the lot of Gold Coast Plaza.

Ticket prices are $14 (Adults) and $12 (Seniors and Students) and $10 (Children 12 & under). For reservations, call (818) 991-0317.

The first of the three acts serves to introduce the characters and establish their relationships. The second act presents the majority of the comedic craziness and the show’s third act introduces its main source of satire.

Act 1 is a well-orchestrated confusion as rehearsal of the play within the play gets underway. An interesting layering of conversations in the first act very much mimics the effect of being at a party and not knowing where to listen first.

Conversations take place upstage, downstage, and off to the side, and all are conducted simultaneously in a level just pronounced enough to be real. The device works to pull the audience into the story, as if each viewer were personally attending a party.

Mrs. J. Duro Pampinelli (Suzanne McNabb Tobin) plays the caricature of a drama queen, and the source of all the hubbub of producing the play for the small town. Reminiscent of such dramatics as Eartha Kitt, she brings a party atmosphere to a roomful of lonely souls searching for stardust. Her facial expressions are priceless. Mrs. Pampinelli has the 20s movie voice down, and surely her character will remind everyone of their high school drama teacher.

Her associate Mr. Spindler (George Lindsey Jr.) comes alive in the second act, while making the case for fixing the rather dangerous set amongst which the characters are about to stage their production. His exchanges with Mrs. Pampinelli show steady comedic timing, along with a surprising bout of fury.

Paula Ritter (Mary Carrig) is Mrs. Pampinelli’s latest protégé, and does a particularly good job portraying a 1920s ingénue with a silly laugh and with her head in the clouds. Frederick Ritter (Marq del Monte) is adamant about showing a vehement lack of support for his wife’s aspirations, which keep him far from favor amongst Mrs. Pampinelli’s entourage.

Mr. Ralph Twiller (Mark Goles) starts out earnest and quiet, and remains steadily so. Miss Florence McCrickett (Theresa Secor) is sweet and sincere and has fun even as she is entirely under the influence of Mrs. Pampinelli’s directorial ambitions.

Mr. Huxley Hossefrosse (Palmer Scott) is accurate as a nervous, line-dropping actor, who nevertheless has droves of enthusiasm for the theater. The Ritters’ maid, Jenny, (Yvonne Golomb) is a refreshingly down-to-earth person in a whirl of dramatics. Nellie Fell (Rebecca Pillsbury) is the flirtatious widow who, while claiming to be proud of her part as "The Prompter" in the production, is clearly only on board for the socializing.

Teddy Spearing (Timothy Roberts) is a quiet supporter and cast member who goes down quietly amid one of the many farcical accidents and almost stays down quietly for good. Mr. Stage Manager (John Pillsbury) is depicted with character-appropriate apathy. Clara Sheppard (Bianca Jansen) demonstrates an unhurried pace in her delivery as the shaky widow who couldn’t stay away from the production in which she almost had a role.

Costumes by the self-proclaimed "Bianca at Anna-Bella" are glamorous and fun, with an accurate homage to 1920’s fashion. Attire adds a good deal of light with satin and sparse sequins, flowing lines and drop-waisted dresses, plus feathers, headbands and strapped shoes for the women.

Cast is also the stage crew—director Michael Jordan is certainly not afraid to get his hands dirty, moving panels by himself and wielding a power drill. Technical direction by S.B. Murray has a lot of audio cues to hit, and Murray does a superb job keeping up.