Tom Williams

As the action unfolds, all the elements of classic farce are in play. Stolen letters, mistaken identity, misunderstanding, false proposals, jealousy become a tug-of-war that results in silly, over-the-top comedy fueled by those zany couplets and rich physical antics make for a satirically funny farce. This comedy is saucy, sexy, and scandal ridden. Gossip, glamor and grossness dominates. This production suffers from too often the players either speak too fast or swallow the punchline or rhythm. Slowing down a tad would help.

This wacky comedy is a near-farce with over-the-top characters that are lovable and unpredictable. Once many of the players slow down and speak a tad slower with stronger articulation, this smart comedy would garner even more laughs. Kingsley Day, Cameron Feagin and David Fink lead a ‘game’ cast of players totally committed to Boucicaust’s ambitious play!

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first production based on a true story opened on Broadway in March, 1951 with Gertrude Lawrence and Yul Brynner, racked up 1,246 performances in the initial run and Brynner did 4,625 performances over 34 years as the King plus the 1956 movie with Deborah Kerr. Full of timeless songs like “I Whistle a Happy Tune,” “Hello, Young Lovers,” “Getting to Know You” and “Shall We Dance,” The King and I is a Broadway classic that is the ultimate ‘feel good” show considered as the first true ‘theatre spectacle,’ The King and I opened the door for later scenically opulent shows.

While much of the general arguments and insults sure make the older Butley’s look (and act immature), the young liberals come off as semi-heros as the battle over the yard emerges. It is well known that many neighborhood land disputes end up in ugly violence, Native Gardens has an unsatisfying ‘happy ending.’ This play is quite funny mostly, the coceit is plausible yet quickly moves from funny, problemic to silly farce. The undertow here is that the older folks are cliches and the young liberals should rule making an uneven age bias obvious.

Tony award winning score by Stephan Flaherty has a fine mixture of ragtime, vaudeville and early jazz together with lofty ballads, a touch of gospel, Eastern European Jewish flavors, a hint of Joplin and stirring anthems aptly moving the story along. Lynn Ahrens’ lyrics are meaningful and resonating.