"Shipwrecked!"

July 26, 2011 — The full title of this play is a mouthful: Shipwrecked! The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (as told by himself). Written by Donald Margulies, the play at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire is done in a music hall style popular in de Rougemont's lifetime in the 19th Century. Richard Brundage as de Rougemont addresses the audience directly as he tells his fantastic story of searching for pearls, becoming lost at sea, riding the backs of turtles, living among aborigines for 30 years, and burying a fortune in pearls in Australia before returning to England. He briefly enjoys celebrity status after publishing his exploits in a London periodical, until he's exposed as a fraud, eventually dying penniless.

Sasha Castroverde and Dan Lendzian assist Brundage as he narrates his story, effectively using minimal props and costumes as they hilariously portray many characters over the course of the 90-minute comedy. One of several uncoventional plays I've seen this season, this one was a real audience-pleaser. The stage was primitive and the actors did all their costume changes within sight of the audience, giving the play an intimate feel within the confines of the small theater. This was definitely an evening well-spent.