In the hands of a less-practiced company--the Vokes Players were founded in the '30s and their theatre passed its hundredth year last season--David Lindsay-Abaire's fantastic farce, "Wonder of the World" could have degenerated into a pleasant evening of community theatre. Though somewhat underproduced, the energetic characterizations completed by an experienced cast lifted the show beyond the humdrum. Inspired technical support might have resulted in the kind of theatrical magic realized only in the final scene. This play, Lindsay-Abaire's followup to his unique efforts in "Fuddy Meers" and "Kimberly Akimbo", shares with these scripts a quirky main female character in search of her identity. The central part of Cass Harris, while not conceived for Sarah Jessica Parker--the play premiered at Woolly Mammoth in D.C.--has some the characteristics of that actress' comedic style.
Cass is played with bright-eyed intensity by Kathleen Dalton who took part in last season's "BatBoy." Her opposite, Lois, is taken by Kimberly McClure, also from "BatBoy", but also Laetitia from "On the 20th Century." Her deft underplaying provides the counterpoint to Dalton's manic approach. Lois' husband, who left her because she's a morose alcoholic, never appears, but Cass's Kip, a one-note sad sack, is played by David Wood, last seen in "Merrily We Roll Along" and previously Oliver in "On the 20th..." Much more interesting is Bill Stambaugh's Capt. Mike, from the Maid of the Mist below Niagara Falls. Stambaugh was one of the two "Venticelli" in "Amadeus." Cass has left Kip, and met Lois on the bus to Niagara where she hopes to get her life back on track. She has a brief fling with Mike, whose wife died a while back, brained by a giant bottle of peanut butter from Costco.
Keeping things stirred up are Deanna Swan and Brad Walters as a pair of would-be private eyes Kip hires to track Cass down. All the rest of the parts are taken by versatile Ann Damon, seen in a range of past Vokes successes, who plays the lady Cass buys a blonde wig from, a sightseeing helicopter pilot who trying to overcome her fear of flying, three waitresses in three improbable themed restaurants--all in the same scene--and in the penultimate scene, a marriage counselor in a clown suit. She's just come from volunteering at a children's hospital. This show gives one the impression that the author has an improv troupe in his head that he turns loose on a situation, while throwing out random ideas to see what explodes. It does benefit from a majority of players with musical comedy experience.
Sets were created by Steve McGonagle, who's done better for Vokes. The show seems somewhat more collected than designed. Given the numerous scene changes, a costumed crew integrated into the production might have been helpful. D.Schweppe's lights work well enough considering. Both set and lights would benefit from rigging teasers to hide the aluminum curtain tacks over the stage. Top hats and barndoors seem in short supply. Linda Burtt's costumes provide the cast what they need however, but would need to be integrated into a total design concept for full effectiveness. Robert Zawistowski's music choices are eclectic but unfocussed. The sound effects for the Falls are convincing without drowning out the dialogue.
The Vokes Players summer show is Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" directed by John Barrett. The extensive casting resources of the company should be able to make this a production to remember. Miller's still trenchant political vision should also resonate in these troubled times.