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 People
who sometimes feel homicidal over a spouse's love of a pet will recognize
their marriage configuration on stage at the Concord Players' fall production
of "Sylvia."
Directed
by Joseph Zamparelli Jr., the two-act comedy by A.R. Gurney, stars Sylvia,
a mixture of Lab and poodle, played by Shana Dirik; Greg, played by
Rik Pierce; Kate, played by Phyllis Walters, and the triple role of
Tom, Phyllis and Leslie, played by Brad Walters.
The
curtain is up as theater-goers enter, revealing an illuminated Manhattan
skyline. The set is simple. A park bench doubles as a living room sofa.
A desk fits into both home and office scenes. As the play unfolds, the
skyline lights dim to show the change from night to day. Musical interludes
indicate shifts in time sequences or location
Gurney
presents a middle aged couple, recently liberated from raising children
and pets, who has moved into a city apartment. English teacher Kate
has just acquired a master's degree and is planning her fall middle
school curriculum, but husband Greg's business career is floundering.
He's feuding with his boss and grappling with mid-life feelings. To
bolster his drooping ego, he bonds with a friendly stray dog in the
park.
When
the canine, Sylvia, bounds onto the stage, the audience must engage
in willing suspension of disbelief and accept a singing, talking, feminist
dog who wiggles her determined butt, creating an immediate breach between
Greg and spouse, Kate. Her sophisticated strut belies a crude vocabulary
as the park pickup cajoles, wheedles and assumes a position of first
wife, to Kate's growing dismay. The blandishments and adoration of his
fourlegged lady subjugated Greg, who is blind to his infatuation despite
warnings from fellow dog walker, Tom, and growls from his wife of many
decades.
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Phyllis
and Brad Walters with Shana Dirik and Rik Pierce
The
actors interact well on stage and sustain a rapid pace in the delivery
of their lines. Shana Dirik, as Sylvia, excels in acrobatics, mood-shifting
facial expressions, flea scratching and excitable body language. Key
words like "out" and "cat" send her into audience-pleasing
orbit as she shifts between canine and feminine moves and vocabulary.
Her ambiguity is very convincing as the audience, entertained by her
performance, nevertheless seems to pledge allegiance to Kate and marital
stability. Dirik (Sylvia), Pierce (Greg) and Phyllis Walters (Kate)
sustain throughout the comedy the metaphore of the wife scorened and
explore the explosive emotions of a menage a trois.
Sylvia's
costumes range from her initial park-pick-up sweatshirt and baggy pants
to elegant velvet leg-warmers and ultr-chic party dresses Greg chooses
for his femme fatale. Kate's wardrobe is teacher tailored and
correct for the Shakespeare spouting educator.
Director
Joseph Zamparelli Jr. uses the whole theatre as his setting. Sylvia
frolics off stage and enjoys an amorous adventure in the park by running
down the aisle to join her pack of fellow dogs while Greg and dog walker
Tom (Brad Walters) philosophize on stage.
Walters
titillates his audience in his two other roles. As Phyllis, Manhattan
socialite trying to stay on the wagon, he/she garners so much laughter
that the dialogue is almost drowned out. As marriage counselor, Leslie,
he tries to patch up Greg and Kate's marriage in a raucous scene full
of doubles entendres.
The
Concord Players have another howling hit on their paws and are jumping
up and down to welcome the area pack of two-legged dog lovers.
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