Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Egads "In Trousers" review by JLin

Put your pants on and see this show!!!
Rating: 5

In Trousers
Egads Theatre Company


Steven Eubank does it again.

Eubank and his team have managed to take William Finn's obscure first work and transform it into a smash hit.  I went into the Off Center Theatre on Sunday, March 20th, completely blind.  The only thing that I knew about the production was that the show was written by the same person that brought us The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (a show that is very close to my heart).  While the lyrics are strange and a bit cryptic at times, once you get into the flow of the show, you assimilate to the symbolism and can just sit back and enjoy the ride.

>From personal experience I know that Eubank is a phenomenal director and choreographer, but where his genius really shines is in his ability to cast the right actors for the roles.  This ensemble worked together so well that I'm not sure I could picture anyone else playing the roles.  All four singing voices were perfect for their individual roles, but they also blended well.

Marvin, played by Jared Hill, is tossed back and forth between the past and the present, as well as some obscure dream land in the middle.  Hill did a marvelous job at changing his character choices while still remaining, regardless of age or time, Marvin.  From a 14 year old struggling with a crush on a teacher to a weary husband and father, Hill moved seamlessly through his character's life journey (as far from chronological as it was).  A very nice costume touch was the choice to keep Marvin in pajama bottoms for the entirety of the show.  He was never 'in trousers" until the end of the production.

Molly Denninghoff as Marvin's estranged wife is as stunning as she ever was.  I have been a fan of Denninghoff since her performance in another Egads! Production, Eating Raoul and I knew that I would not be disappointed.  Every little facial expression told volumes and she captivated the audience with her heart-wrenching performance of "I'm Breaking Down" as she laments her failing marriage. The stage chemistry between Hill and Denninghoff really shined in "Breakfast Over Sugar" and a particularly understated bit of blocking that represented Martin finding out his wife is pregnant.

Marvin's high school sweet heart, played by Katie Karel, provided most of the comedic relief for the show.  Her narration during "The Rape of Miss Goldberg" was a simple announcement of "scene changes" and yet her physicality brought on near hilarity.  At one point, "How America Got Its Name" came to a screeching halt because the audience just wouldn't stop laughing at her rendition of Queen Isabella's "royal laugh".  My only criticism for Karel's performance is that there were times her face went blank and she seemed to be completely void of emotion.  I'm not sure if this was a character choice that I just didn't understand, or if she just zoned out.

Then there is Shelby Floyd who played Marvin's sexy drama teacher, Miss Goldberg.  Wow.  This girl has got some serious pipes.  I had heard Floyd sing prior to this performance and knew that she has an incredible instrument, but I was unprepared for the stellar vocals that she provided this production.  My jaw nearly hit the floor when she brought her soulful sound to "Set Those Sails".  Again, wow.  My only disappointment was that the script requires her to wear dark glasses for the majority of the show and so it was hard to see her facial expressions.

But we can't forget the band!  Kevin Bogan and his five cohorts were so good that you didn't notice them, and they were right on stage amid the action!  When the music is so flawless that you forget that it's live, you know you have some talented musicians.  And I want to also give kudos to Jeff Eubank for his set design which incorporated the instrumentalist into the small space without taking away from the action of the play.  Bogan was literally level with the head of the bed and his keyboard was used as a bedside table, but you were never distracted by his presence there.

So, what are you waiting for?  You still have one more weekend to see this fabulous show.  Go and make your reservations now!  I am so glad that Steven decided to throw one more show into his season before giving Egads! a rest.  I sincerely hope that this production will inspire more people to throw caution to the wind and try out some other obscure scripts.  Egads! took a risk and it paid off tenfold…but then again, it is Steven Eubank.

5 out of 5 stars, without a second thought.

Jamie Lin

read the review at KC Stage



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