Lessons learned; laughs abound as Players present two comedies
For the late summer offering from the Sabine Parish Players, Director Mary Bozeman selected two comedies to tickle the funny bones of local audiences.
Both productions highlight the comedic talents of Vicki Weaver, a charter member of the Players, who has played numerous roles over the years. However, her best roles are those when she dons a red wig and displays her witty sense of humor. Nobody will ever forget her giggles after they see “27 Wagons Full of Cotton”, a Tennessee Williams’ work, which is one of the two she stars in this weekend. The other, “A Phoenix Too Frequent” by Christopher Fry, gives the audience a peek into Weaver’s character after she has been imbibing in too much wine. It’s hard to keep your eyes off of her…for fear you will miss something!
Opening the show with a joke-telling session was Big Jim Quayhagen, who made the phrase “The Many Tigers are tougher than woodpecker lips!” famous. At ease onstage, Quayhagen entertains with good, old-fashioned humor at its best.
In “27 Wagons Full of Cotton”, Weaver is supported by Greg Everett, who plays her husband, Jake Meighan; and Jim Hyde, who portrays Silva Vicarro, the owner of a burned down cotton gin.
Everett turned in one of his best performances as the slow movin’, slow talkin’ overall-clad husband, who manhandles his wife to say he’d been sitting on the porch swingin’ all evenin’ after supper. She doesn’t realize the importance of his whereabouts until Viccaro visits after the blaze. Jake is hired to take care of the 27 wagons full of cotton, which will benefit him financially.
Sweet-talkin’ Jake leaves talking about the Good Neighbor policy: “You do me a good turn and I’ll do you one.”
While Jake was away puttin’ in a hard day’s work, Vicarro stays with Flora and soon their swinging turns into a sparring of words with Flora spilling the beans about Jake leaving after supper in the Chevy...just about the time the gin burned.
Confused and visibly upset by Vicarro’s attention, she back tracks and then “gets to feelin’ funny.”
Viccaro decides to practice the Good Neighbor Policy that Jake mentioned and follows Flora inside the farmhouse.
When Jake returns, Flora’s clothing is askew and she slyly tells him he’s not the only one whose done a big day’s work. She takes on a giddy characteristic, which her husband doesn’t notice.
Calling her a “useless woman”, Jake continues to complain about the hard work. His “sweet baby doll” tells him that Vicarro is going to let him do all his ginnin’ for him....all summer long.
As always, Williams ends with a twist after he takes a perfect setting and turns it into a tumultuous situation.
Hyde fit the bill as the swarthy Italian gin owner, who seduces Flora, whom he describes as a “big type of woman, who is soft like a big piece of cotton.”
Nobody could have played Flora better than Weaver. Her childlike persona onstage “tells all” about Jake’s extracurricular “after supper” activity and her continuous giggles suggest she likes the attention (good and bad) of both abusive men.
Don’t miss this production…..the acting was great and you’ll never think of the Good Neighbor Policy quite the same way again.
In “A Phoenix Too Frequent”, Weaver is the loyal and laughable maid, Doto, to Janet Elam’s bereaved widow, Dynamene, as they join each other in the tomb. Planning to starve and eventually die of grief over the loss of Dynamene’s husband, they are disturbed by a handsome guard, Tegeus, played by Ian Everett.
Soon the women are drinking wine with the guard, who has six bodies outside which he is to be watching until daylight.
Before long they are toasting Dynamene’s dead husband. Doto finally passes out and the guard and the widow begin a cat and mouse game of mutual attraction. Suddenly the grieving widow is having second thoughts about joining her husband. Although they try to deny their feelings in a hilarious “look and look-away” sequence, they realize theri passion for each other. Tegeus runs out to check on the bodies. One is missing and he fears a court martial. Tegeus threatens suicide….but they put their heads together and come up with a plan---a plan that will have the audience roaring.
The title to the play “A Phoenix Too Frequent” describes the widow, comparing her to a bird who has died and then lives again.
The young Everett was excellent as the guard, using his skills to bring his character to life. Needless to say, Elam was as charming and lovely as ever, as she wailed and “purred” her way through her dilemma.
Bravo to all in both comedies and kudos to the Bozeman/Bill Osborn team who direct, set the stage, perfect the lighting and sound…and always deliver a delightful afternoon/evening of live theatre in Sabineland.
