"California Suite"

September 5, 2019 — "California Suite" by Neil Simon consists of four short plays within a play, each taking place in the same plush Beverly Hills hotel suite. The Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Meredith, New Hampshire staged the play with five actors playing eleven parts. The exquisite set, designed by Meredith C. Brown, consisted of a living room, bedroom and foyer, all open and visible to the audience, but the actors navigate the set as though no room is visible from another. A bathroom is behind a door, not visible. It was beautifully furnished, causing me to wonder where on earth they acquired all that sumptuous furniture. Timothy L'Ecuyer directed and Nick Cochran designed the many costumes, from highly formal to working class to sporting.

In the first act, or playlet, Hannah (Donna Schilke) has flown to California to meet her ex-husband, William (Adam Kee) in the aforementioned suite and take their teenage daughter (not shown) back to New York with her. The dialog is sharp, sometimes nasty, with a few good laugh lines, as the two argue over which provides the best environment for their daughter, California or New York. Not my favorite of the four acts.

In the second act, which is truly hilarious, Marvin (Nate Healey), back from a business trip, awakens to find Bunny (Gwen Elise Higgins) asleep beside him. We learn she consumed a whole bottle of vodka and Marvin's best efforts fail to awaken her, and his wife is on the way. What does he do? Of course, his wife, Millie (Irina Kaplan) arrives and he desperately tries to keep her from the bedroom where Bunny still sleeps. Does Millie discover Bunny? Would it be a Neil Simon play if she didn't? My sense of humor is not terribly sophisticated (I'm a Monty Python fan, that should tell you a lot), so I prefer broad, physical comedy, and this was my favorite act.

In the third playlet, Adam Kee returns as Sidney and Donna Schilke as Diana, both English, as they check into the suite. Diana, an actress, has been nominated for an Academy Award and is there to hopefully collect her Oscar. Diana is agonizing over her gown which she believes makes her look like she has a hump and other problems. Sidney, with typical British unconcern, assures her everything is fine. They finally leave for the award ceremony. When they return, the mood has changed dramatically. All British reserve is gone, and both are in an ugly state of mind. Again, a bit sophisticated for my taste.

All except Gwen Elise Higgins (Bunny in act 2) return for act 4. Mort (Nate Healey), Beth (Irina Kaplan), Stu (Adam Kee) and Gert (Donna Schilke) are two couples on vacation staying at the suite. Beth has injured her foot in a tennis match and her husband, Mort, blames Stu for her injury due to the way he lobbed the ball. Later, Gert smashes a light in the bathroom and cuts her foot on the glass, then still later bumps and injures her head. One misunderstanding leads to another and, with both women unable to leave the bed, the two men have a free-for-all. This act is a close contender for second favorite.

I should hasten to mention all performances in all four acts were among the best of this summer theater season. The differences were strictly in my personal taste. These actors, in a space of less than two hours, had to take on the roles of people that couldn't be more different from each other. Donna Schilke's three characters could easily have been mistaken for three different people if you didn't have a program. Unfortunately, we didn't get a good look at Gwen Elise Higgins. She was partially covered in blankets in the second act and had not a word of dialog. Hopefully, we'll see more of her in future productions.

"A Doll's House, Part 2"

September 3, 2019 — Playwright Lucas Hnath wondered what might have become of Nora Helmer after she walked out and slammed the door on her husband and three children in Heinrich Ibsen's famous play, "A Doll's House." That door-slam is the last sound heard in the play, and its finality is devastating.

Hnath decided to write his own version of Nora's life after her departure and titled it "A Doll's House, Part 2." The Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire, presented Hnath's version, directed by Keith Stevens with a beautifully-designed set by Emmy Boisvert, sumptuous period costumes by Bethany Mullins, and the Players' usual fine acting talent.

Fifteen years after walking out, Nora (Lisa Bostnar) returns to the home of her husband, Torvald Helmer (Players artistic director Gus Kaikkonen), and is greeted by the same maid, Anne-Marie (Carolyn Michel), who was there when Nora suddenly departed and was left with the task of bringing up Nora's three children. Their meeting is awkward but cordial, although cautious, at first, but finally descends into angry recrimination. And then, Torvald, who wasn't expected home for another day, shows up unexpectedly.

Why has Nora returned? She has become a successful and wealthy published author and life has been good to her. Is there something she needs from her former family? Answers to these questions are gradually revealed over the course of the four-act play, each act centering on one of the four characters. I haven't mentioned the fourth yet. That was Emmy (Katie Shults), Nora and Torvald's daughter, a child when Nora left, now grown into lovely womanhood and engaged to be married.

There is a problem threatening Nora's future and she does need help from her abandoned family. Will Torvald and Emmy oblige? Torvald, devastated and humiliated at the time of Nora's departure, is finding it hard to sympathize. Nora is a stranger to Emmy who barely remembers her and feels no kinship.

The encounters between the actors are realistic and believable, sometimes angry, often poignant, occasionally humorous. The acting is superb. Another example of quality theater by the Peterborough Players.