The Phurriner

The Phantom has been a phan of this cleverly written play by Larry Shue for years. And there are evidently other Foreigner phans in the Valley–including our esteemed director, who has directed the show more than once. The Phantom strives constantly to expand his own horizons, and he thinks no one should get into a rut. Still, if future productions of the show are as good as this one, The Phantom provides his permission to bring it back every other year, if you wish. We won’t mind a bit.

As the discerning patron has come to expect, the NTA set was crafted to perfection, replete with trap door and clever props. Props to you, clever props people. The complex set was an integral part of the play, and The Phantom admired it—though he did feel a touch of paranoia when the only viable exit from the theater became the only logical entrance to the set. But let’s not dwell on petty issues of architecture. Let’s consider bigger questions. We never see the actors using the restroom facilities during intermission; are there others in the theater? And that trap door: Did it go anywhere? If so, where?

Clearly, The Phantom is stalling. He has both good news and bad news regarding the efforts of our cast, and he hesitates to begin, lest feelings be hurt. (Indeed, have you noticed the recent reticence with which The Phantom approaches the mild moments of helpful instruction that make his judgments so insightful and wise? He is obviously reluctant to cause anyone distress.) [To be sure, it is plain by now that The Phantom possesses rarefied standards of ethical propriety.] {Sure enough, when the Valley thinks of Fair Play and Truth, it thinks of The Phantom.} <And he’s humble, too. Don’t forget the huge humility.> /Good thing, too. Can you imagine all this power to intrigue and entertain in the hands of someone with less class and taste?\ (It would be unthinkable, if we could actually remember what we were talking about. Oh, right:)

NTA did a fine job with this gem of a play. Froggy LeSeur did not disappoint. His accent was excellent, an accomplishment for which we are grateful. The Phantom feels about badly performed accents the way he feels about wigs: If it can’t be done right, don’t do it at all. But Froggy was good, buoyant and animated. Good job. And Charlie did a phine job as the beleaguered “foreigner.” He launched into the Shakespearean prose late in the play with just the right amount of contrast to bolster our amusement and keep the play a rollickin’ good time. Very nice performances, gentlemen.

Everybody loved Opal and everybody loved Betty too. She was sweet, infinitely likeable and just right. This actress’s success with pleasant parts leaves The Phantom—ever a prescient person—wondering what she could do with a character that wasn’t so affable and slightly naive. Can she play mean? Manipulative? Cruel, even? We hope we get to find out, because, so far, she has been rock solid.

Let’s now pause in our praise. Segue here to the Reverend David Marshall Lee. The Phantom was intrigued to find himself mentioned in this actor’s bio in the program. Thanks for the shout-out, Rev. Lee. But The Phantom can’t be bought by obeisance. (Try saying that five times fast.) Or, to be more precise, one supposes, he can’t be bought so cheaply. The Phantom found, as you’ll recall, your first performance at NTA—in Almost, Maine—to be a wonderful performance. You displayed a depth of character(s) that belied your youth. We happily anticipated delightful future performances. Regrettably, we did not much enjoy your second performance, but The Phantom is not a phan of melodrama, so you get a get-out-of-jail-free card for that one. Here in The Foreigner, we thought you’d be back in your element, but your performance was the weakest of the entire ensemble. What was wrong? The accent, the loud menace, and the over-acting. Instead of coming easily and effortlessly, your performance seemed forced. Rein it in a bit. Tune in and stay in the moment with your scene partner, every time and every performance. Don’t yell; it’s a sign of inexperience. Is it possible that your nerves were keeping you “real” in Almost, Maine, and now that you have logged a few hours on the boards your confidence is getting the better of you? And before you and the inevitable groupies pining over your movie-star good looks get all up in a lather, please note that to be the worst in a company of very good actors is not all too terrible a thing. The Phantom wishes you well in your college career and he looks forward to seeing you on stage again.

Ms. Catherine, the blushing and expectant fiancée, was a familiar face to the community of community performers. She’s usually pretty good and sometimes great, but this time we saw her interpret the role of Catherine as an anxiety-ridden, shrill shrew and a bundle of nerves, mean nerves, that almost got on our last nerve. Ah, here’s the cost of seeing a play several times done by several different companies: One can’t help comparing performances. So The Phantom will backtrack here and thank Catherine for loosening up and becoming considerably more likeable in the second half of the play. A sympathetic Catherine was much more agreeable than a shrill Catherine was.

The Phantom has saved the best for last. The show was absolutely stolen by the delightful performances of Owen and Ellard. Owen, a time-tested community theater fav, had superb timing and a couple of physical bits that sold his part 110%. Moreover, The Phantom was gratified to be spared any glimpse of the goofy facial expression that has dogged this actor—oh, yes, you know the dreaded aspect to which The Phantom refers—particularly because Owen was so funny and so despicable without it. Clap, clap Owen. The Phantom thanks you from the bottom of his tiny heart. Could it be that this community favorite gave his performance such an air of authenticity simply by channeling his inner redneck? Perhaps. This is Texas after all, and we knows our intolerance.

But there was no channeling of inherent dumbness for our Ellard. We have seen this young man a lot lately, and we are now certain that he’s just a damn fine actor. The accent: spot on. The mannerisms: perfect. The way his character reached out to everyone in the audience, now that’s good stuff, ladies and germs. Good stuff. So you combine his skills with the fine performance of Charlie and you had a breakfast scene that was as good as any that The Phantom has seen in several performances of The Foreigner. He is sorry that he only got to see it twice.

So, other than that, it was great.

The Phantom