By Vicki Paris Goodman,
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Given my utter devotion to British comedy and my profound impatience for most full-length farce, I am presented here with the usual dilemma as to just how positive or negative to come across. On the one hand, I absolutely loved the sweet characters, the terrific gags and the fabulous performances in Tom, Dick and Harry. On the other hand, I was more than ready for it to end.
Veteran British farce master Ray Cooney paired up on this occasion with his son, accomplished film writer Michael Cooney, to conceive Tom, Dick and Harry, the story of three brothers who attract trouble like a corpse attracts maggots.
Speaking of a corpse, one particular one cut into pieces figures prominently in the play. I think I wished even harder than elder brother Tom (Brian Stanton) that the thing would just go away, but it reappeared ad infinitem until I became tempted to leave my seat, march up on stage and dispose of it myself once and for all. (Breathe…breathe…)
The requisite annoying repetition notwithstanding, Tom, Dick and Harry generously delivers the funny bits, both verbal and physical, with no break in the action save for a 15-minute intermission during which spa music and aromatherapy might be a welcome addition.
The comic play revolves around Tom and his attractive wife Linda (Christy Hall) who are preparing on this particular bright Spring morning for the arrival of Mrs. Potter (Kerry Michaels) in regard to the couple’s application to adopt a baby.
But Tom’s happy-go-lucky and well meaning brothers Dick (Nicolas Levene) and Harry (Jaime Tintor) show up accompanied by the “fruits” of their respective schemes for improving Tom’s life. Descending upon Tom and Linda at the worst possible moment, of course, are the above-mentioned individually wrapped body parts, as well as contraband and two illegal immigrants (Jaime Andrews and Lou Briggs).
When the imposing and armed Boris (David Fruechting) of the Albanian mafia appears to swindle the immigrants, one would think Tom would at long last give up his impossible web of alibis designed to keep Linda and the ever-present Constable Downs (Matt Foyer) in the dark. Uh uh. Tom persists in the ill-fated cover-up, with the help of ne’er-do-wells Dick and Harry, til the bitter end.
Finally, the disastrous morning is saved only by an unlikely turn-of-fate that makes what seemed important a few hours ago a moot point.
Todd Nielsen does a spectacular job directing his immensely talented (and physically fit) cast in this West coast premiere production for ICT. I was amazed that actors Stanton, Levene and Tintor were still standing and capable of their curtain calls–heck, they weren’t even breathing hard!
Matthew D. Egan’s beautiful set features the living room of a lovely, traditional suburban home with all the details. But I hope he’s keeping several replacements for the furniture, which undergoes as much abuse in one performance as a boxer endures in a match.
Bottom line–I laughed a lot, and I checked my watch a few times. It’s a quality vs. quantity thing. ICT’s Tom, Dick and Harry is a wonderful production. At a tad over two hours, there’s just maybe a little too much of it.
Tom, Dick and Harry continues at International City Theatre in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, located at 300 East Ocean Blvd., through Nov. 18. Performances take place Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $32 and $37 on Thursdays; $37 and $42 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Call (562) 436-4610 for information or visit ICT online at www.ictlongbeach.org.
