Virtuoso Acting on Display in 'The Dresser'

Bruce Nelson (l.), Carl Schurr and Deborah Hazlett

 It’s not surprising that stellar actors Bruce R. Nelson and Carl Schurr would click so well in The Dresser, a well-balanced dramatic and humorous play, which is currently on stage at the Everyman Theatre.  They have a long string of theatrical successes under their belts with Mr. Nelson, a local favorite, capturing a Helen Hayes Award among other honors.  These Everyman resident company members formed an extraordinary duo and gave what some could rightly call an acting clinic as the two leads in Ronald Harwood’s play.
The Dresser opened on London’s West End in 1980 and then on Broadway in 1981 where it ran for 200 performances.  It was made into a movie in 1983.  Harwood’s work was inspired by his own personal experience as a dresser to Shakespearean actor-manager Sir Donald Wolfit.  But The Dresser is neither autobiographical nor biographical.

It’s the story of an aging British Shakespearian actor-manager, Sir, (Schurr) whose faculties have been steadily deteriorating.  Sir’s lifeline besides his wife, Her Ladyship, played by Deborah Hazlett, has been his personal dresser, Norman (Nelson), a somewhat effeminate and loyal servant to Sir, catering to his every whim. 

Sir is the domineering lead actor of a ragtag touring troupe of Shakespearian actors who must perform in the British provinces amidst the bombs from German aircraft during the Blitz.  Never wanting to be upstaged, the one-time great actor is often tyrannical and hardly ever satisfied with the other actors’ performances.    

The weary Sir is preparing to don his triple crown in King Lear for the 227^th time, yet he is challenged to remember which play he is performing in, much less his opening lines.  Norman, his rock for 16 years—doting after Sir, boosting his confidence, adjusting his costumes and make-up, massaging him and otherwise caring for him as if he were his lover—convinces Sir to perform one more time.   He not only had to struggle to persuade Sir who is sensing his own mortality, but did so over the objections of Her Ladyship and Madge, the stage manager (Megan Anderson).  They want him to forego this performance and retire altogether. 

But Norman, whose own existence is tied to Sir’s career and becomes a powerful force when this relationship is challenged, prevails. You see, Sir needs Norman but not quite as much as Norman needs Sir in this symbiotic relationship.  Sir is Norman’s life—dutifully serving the dominating Sir between nips of brandy.

As bombs and air raid sirens blast outside the theater, Sir reluctantly steps on stage to deliver one of his best performances as King Lear for what was to be yet another curtain call.  I will refrain from divulging what unfolds hence, but be assured the play packs a powerful dramatic conclusion.

Yet, for all the dramatic moments, the play’s clever wit shines through and through.  Veteran Director Derek Goldman is blessed with a highly skilled cast and crew to maximize this story of loyalty, dedication, love and the human spirit and guides the production with a steady hand. 

Bruce R. Nelson, as he so often does, pulls out all the stops, employing varied voice inflections, mannerisms, body language and gestures in the role of Norman.  His comic timing is also spot on as he delivers one witty retort after another.  Norman’s devotion to his master Sir is the foundation for his performance that included a display of jealousy during a fiery confrontation with Irene (Emily Vere Nicoll), the youngest actor in the troupe who allowed Sir to have a physical encounter with her.

Carl Schurr as the once great but ailing Sir is riveting.  Moving ploddingly, speaking softly until his authoritative persona needs to come through, Mr. Schurr convincingly takes on Sir’s complex character.  He also delivers a number of amusing lines—even some with gallows humor about the war and sickness—bringing the audience to laughter.

Together, Mr. Nelson and Mr. Schurr form an impressive acting duo whereby each action, gesture and spoken word is blended in perfect harmony.  Deborah Hazlett’s performance as Her Ladyship is also proficient in allowing the audience to believe that Norman is more able to reach Sir than she could at this stage of their relationship.

Photos by ClintonBPhotography

The other actors Megan Anderson as Madge, Emily Vere Nicoll as Irene, Will Love as Geoffrey Thornton, James Whalen as Mr. Oxenby and the remainder of the ensemble, James Bunzli, Will Cooke, Benjamin Lovell and Frank Tesoro Vince provided the leads with strong support.

 James Fouchard was meticulous in designing the set, with its stage lighting fixtures and high brick walls to depict the backstage of a 1942 theater in the English provinces.  Most of the scenes take place in Sir’s dressing room, which is brought out on stage via a turntable to the audience’s left side. 

Unfortunately, that positioning put the Everyman audience seated on the right side of the theater at a slight disadvantage.  The center of the stage is used for the actors to walk to and from the dressing room’s door and later during the King Lear play within the play.

Nonetheless, the dressing room set was so detailed and complete one would think that it was Sir’s flat.  In a way it is surprising that the room contained such accoutrements as bookshelves, a stove, photographs, and an assortment of knick-knacks along with the standard desk and sofa given that this is a touring company—not one that took up a more long-term residence.  One indication that this room is a temporary setting: the open trunk at the side of the sofa.  Regardless, the set is splendidly designed and serves as a great backdrop to where most of the dialogue takes place.

Sound designer Chad Marsh also excels.  The booming sounds from bombs and air raid sirens made the theater vibrate lending stark reality to what is transpiring outside.  When cast member were using thunder sheets, drums and other devices to depict a storm scene in King Lear, they had to beat these instruments even harder to drown out the sounds of bombs—a chilling effect.

The creative team as a whole backs up a solid cast.  With The Dresser, one is sure to enjoy a potent story with sufficient opportunities to chuckle and to witness a pair of sterling actors working brilliantly at their craft.

Running time: Two hours and 20 minutes with an intermission.

The Dresser runs through March 23 at the Everyman Theatre, 315 E. Fayette St., Baltimore 21201.  Tickets may be purchased by calling 410-752-2208 or online.

 

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Everyman Offers Laughter and 'Carnage'



Photo: Stan Barough

Deborah Hazlett as Veronica, Christopher Bloch as Michael, Megan Anderson as Annette and Tim Getman as Alan

The story of God of Carnage starts before the play begins with a pair of 11 year-old schoolboys involved in a playground altercation with one of them using a stick to knock out two teeth of the other.  By play’s end, the audience wonders who really behaved like children—the kids in that fight or their parents.

The Pulitzer prize-winning French play written by Yasmina Reza and translated into English by Christopher Hampton debuted on Broadway in 2009 after a run in London and copped three Tony awards including Best Play.  It was since made into a film Carnage directed by Roman Polanski. 

God of Carnage is the second production to grace the Everyman Theatre’s sparkling new Fayette Street location, and it’s a hoot.  It centers on the uproarious, if not insane, interactions of two Brooklyn, NY yuppie couples who are the parents of the combatants.

Alan Raleigh (Tim Getman) and Annette Raleigh (Megan Anderson) are the parents of the attacking boy.  They were invited to the home of Michael Novak (Christopher Bloch) and Veronica Novak (Deborah Hazlett) to discuss the fight and resulting damage to the Novak kid in a futile attempt to resolve the dispute in a civil manner through a simple apology.

Starting off well with gentle pleasantries, sharing French pastries and having agreed (after some lawyerly-style debate) that the aggressor was not “armed” with a stick but instead was “furnished” with one, the tranquility was compromised by alcohol-fueled honesty and continual annoying interruptions from cell phone calls.  The meeting devolved into a verbal slugfest. 

Playwright Reza once said in an interview:  “What motivates me most about writing about people who are well brought up and yet, underneath that veneer, they break down.”  That’s what occurs in God of Carnage.

The characters exhibited what most parents’ instincts direct them to do: defend their own children regardless of the circumstances.  As soon as Veronica states that her son was “disfigured” from the fight and points out repeatedly the teeth lost were incisors, Annette recoils and argues there must have been a reason for her son to strike the other boy.

The play then becomes a runaway brakeless truck rolling faster and faster down a hill. Civility turns into calamity as each character reveals their weaknesses and vulnerabilities we all have but won’t ever admit to.  

Shocking scenes such as Annette throwing up all over the coffee table and books, her ripping off the tops of expensive tulips and the inevitable fate of that obnoxious cell phone interspersed with the ever-increasing profane but hilarious dialogue, elicited strong audience reactions. 

Eleanor Holdridge, possessing a solid resume of directing stage plays, made strong use of the actors’ skills in displaying precise comedic timing, facial expressions and movement around the stage.  

Bruce R. Nelson, an Everyman staple, was originally tapped to play Alan.  An unfortunate injury prior to the play’s run sidelined Nelson, and he was replaced by veteran actor Tim Getman.  That substitution worked out quite well. 

Mr. Getman flawlessly portrayed Alan, the corporate lawyer who is frequently on the phone defending a questionable drug company.  He really never bought into the need for this meeting with the Novaks and would have preferred to be anywhere but here.  But here Alan was, delivering many laugh lines. 

His wife, Annette Raleigh (Alan nicknamed her “Woof-Woof”), played by Megan Anderson, was also funny (and later disgusting).  Starting off mild, she evolves into rage as the play progresses and even yields to some homophobia.  My only gripe with Ms. Anderson’s performance is that she didn’t sufficiently project her voice especially at the beginning.  Otherwise, she was outstanding.

Michael Novak, played by Christopher Bloch, is a successful wholesaler with an ill mother.  Also armed with a plethora of gag lines and comedic gestures, Mr. Bloch came through wonderfully. 

Michael was assailed by the Raleighs and Veronica for allowing his daughter’s pet hamster to “escape” only for it to face the realities of street survival.  He was also chided by Veronica for being wishy-washy during the arguments involving his son.  

Dutifully, Michael frantically uses a hair drier to clean up the mess Annette left on Veronica’s table and precious art books.   Michael comes off as a peace-loving, liberal, open-minded soul but his inner self screams “F***ing Neanderthal.” Mr. Bloch could not have been better for this role.

Then there is Veronica, the intense and, at times, whacko mother of the victim and author of an upcoming book on Darfur.  Deborah Hazlett, another Everyman resident actor, plays the role brilliantly and realistically while displaying a full range of emotions and passion throughout. 

Timothy R. Mackabee’s set is functional if odd.  Behind the ordinary living room furniture in what is probably a brownstone apartment is a super-sized, dominating painting of a pack of dogs pouncing on a prey, which undoubtedly is a metaphor for carnage.

God of Carnage is a funny play and should not be missed. While the comedy is sometimes dark, most of us can imagine how we’d react to every one of the provocations in the play and can readily identify on some levels to these people. hocoblogs@@@

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Running Time: Eighty-five minutes with no intermission.

Advisory: This show contains profanity and is not recommended for children.
God of Carnage plays through April 7 at the Everyman Theatre, 315 West Fayette St., Baltimore.  For tickets, call 410-752-2208 or visit everymantheatre.org.