"This Verse Business"

June 18, 2011 — The Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company in North Conway, New Hampshire, presented "This Verse Business" by A. M. Dolan, a one-man show starring Gordon Clapp as poet Robert Frost. Clapp, a New Hampshire native, is probably best known for his portrayal of detective Greg Medavoy on the TV show "NYPD Blue," for which he won an Emmy in 1998. He was also nominated for a Tony award for his part in the Broadway revival of "Glengarry Glen Ross." He appeared in Clint Eastwood's World War II drama, "Flags of Our Fathers," and many TV shows.

Ticket holders were invited to show up at 7 p.m. for a buffet, drinks and entertainment outside the theatre an hour before the main performance. It was a comfortably warm evening, but the hour seemed overly long to me. With only ten chairs provided for over 100 people, most of us remained standing. Gordon Clapp, friendly and unpretentious, joined us for awhile, mixed with the crowd and posed for pictures. Several excellent vocalists sang Broadway show tunes. Finally, at 8, we were all admitted inside the theatre, but waited another half hour for the show to start.

Those unfortunate timing problems aside, Clapp's performance was superb. He was totally immersed in his characterization of Frost. Dressed in a rumpled, ill-fitting suit, wearing a shaggy white wig, speaking in folksy witticisms and puns, he was a believable Frost. The one-hour performance was often funny, sometimes poignant. He recited several of Frost's poems and talked about his (Frost's) rationale for writing them. He received a well-deserved standing ovation at the end of the performance.