"Let Nothing You Dismay" - by Topher Payne - AFD Theatre (Arlington, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: Mudiwa Mungoshi as “Kevin” with Madison Canfora as “Allie” in a scene from the Topher Payne comedy "LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY" at AFD Theatre in Arlington, MA. until December 15, 2024. Photo Credit: Leslie Maiocca)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“Mm. That’s not really how family works, you guys. They don’t give you what you want. They give you what they decide you need."
- ("Kaitlyn") / Topher Payne
Arlington Friends of the Drama/AFD Theatre
Presents Topher Payne's
"LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY"
Written by Topher Payne
Directed by Mary Hummon
Production Manager Ginger Webb
Cast Includes: Iain Bason as “Paul/Dr. Tim/Mr. Yarmowich,” Ivy Ho as “Noreen/Charlotte/Bubbie,” Madison Canfora as “Allie/Lizzie,” Eric Cheung as “Dennis/Jerry/Rich,” Tim Daughters as “Milford/Ivan/Oscar,” Teri Muller as “Tawny/Deb/Linda,” Mudiwa Mungoshi as “Kevin/Leonard,” Anika Pavis as “Kaitlyn/Brianna/Angela,” Jean Ellen Pendergrass as “Nurse/Patient,” Jo Ricciardelli as “Nurse.”
Additional Creative Team:
Costume Designer - Carol Benson Antos; Publicity - Paul r. Dixon; Hair and Makeup Design - Cara Guappone; Set Design/Set Tech - Audrey Lewis; Stage Manager - Sarah O'Neill; Sound Design - Tom Powers; Assistant Stage Manager - Melissa Quirk; Lighting Design - David H. Silber; Props and Set Dressing - Janice Sophis; Musical Arrangement - Margaret Ulmer.
Performances:
December 6, 2024 through December 15, 2024
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
AFD THEATRE, 22 Academy Street, Arlington, MA. 02476
TICKETS:
For more information or tickets, contact AFD THEATRE at www.afdtheatre.org/buy-tickets or by calling the box office at # 781-646-5922 or emailing boxoffice@afdtheatre.org.
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COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.
"LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY" by Topher Payne
Arlington Friends of the Drama (AFD Theatre) rings in the holiday season with a blessed event taking place on Christmas Eve – and that’s when all Hell breaks loose in the hilarious comedy "LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY."
Written by Topher Payne, "LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY" made its stage debuted in 2015 and was awarded the 2016 Suzi Bass Award for “Outstanding World Premiere” and “Outstanding Ensemble Cast.”
In the AFD Theatre show, eight actors play twenty-two characters in a holiday farce that uniquely celebrates families of all kinds.
(Photo: Mudiwa Mungoshi as “Kevin” with Madison Canfora as “Allie” in a scene from the Topher Payne comedy "LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY" at AFD Theatre in Arlington, MA. until December 15, 2024. Photo Credit: Leslie Maiocca)
It's Christmas in Cleveland, Ohio - and Kevin (Mudiwa Mungoshi) and Allie (Madison Canfora) are spending Christmas Eve in a maternity ward waiting area as they are about to become adoptive parents of a newborn child.
The biological mother and father of the baby, Leonard and Lizzie (also played by Mungoshi and Canfora) are also at the hospital. However, Leonard announces that Lizzie has unexpectedly wandered off, having experienced second thoughts about giving her baby up for adoption.
Now, if the above seems like the premise for a Hallmark movie, well, here’s the funny coincidence:
Author Payne has either written or co-written for multiple Hallmark movies.
That said, what follows in the crazy events of AFD Theatre's "DISMAY" will seem more like Payne’s amalgamizing of every rejected Hallmark sub-plot he ever pitched.
Even though Kevin and Allie requested their families not come to the hospital, they do so anyway - and that is where much of the mayhem begins.
(Photo: Iain Bason as “Mr. Yarmowich” with Ivy Ho as “Bubbie” in a scene from the Topher Payne comedy "LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY" at AFD Theatre in Arlington, MA. until December 15, 2024. Photo Credit: Leslie Maiocca)
Teacher Kevin's father, Paul (Iain Bason), a politician, visits with his much-younger wife, Kaitlyn (Anika Pavis) and their extended clan, followed by Kevin's “eccentric” mother, Charlotte (Ivy Ho) who arrives with her strange assortment of friends.
In actuality, using the word “eccentric” may be an unfair characterization of Charlotte as almost everyone we encounter in "DISMAY" seems to have a certain peculiarity, and yet this merely adds to the play’s overall charm.
Finally, NASA rocket scientist Allie's family invades, including her ultra-competitive brain surgeon sister, Angela (also played by Anika Pavis), her Bubbie (also played by Ho), and Bubbie's gentleman friend (also played by Bason).
(Photo: Anika Pavis appears in multiple roles as “Kaitlyn/Brianna/Angela” in the Topher Payne comedy "LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY" at AFD Theatre in Arlington, MA. until December 15, 2024. Photo Credit: Leslie Maiocca)
Under the guidance of AFD Theatre director Mary Hummon, the cast impresses with the diverse number of characters they must assume in the story.
While there is a lot to enjoy and the play is replete with many marvelous characters, there also seems to have been a sacrifice of comedic timing in the AFD staging for nuance of each of the characters.
The pacing should be more rapid-fire, and yet the show feels a little bit sluggish at times with the actors reacting as their characters instead of just hitting the punchlines as required.
(Photo: Madison Canfora as “Lizzie” in a scene from the Topher Payne comedy "LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY" at AFD Theatre in Arlington, MA. until December 15, 2024. Photo Credit: Leslie Maiocca)
The AFD Theatre single set design is both extremely clever and effective, allowing actors quick access to various points where they can make their required abrupt costume changes for their multiple characters.
Various lighting and sound cues are also expertly executed throughout the performance, and there was also the nice addition of some holiday music played before each act (performed on piano by Margaret Ulmer) to help set the mood.
Other noteworthy diverse performances in "LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY" include Eric Cheung as “Dennis, Jerry and Rich,” Tim Daughters as “Milford, Ivan and “Oscar,” and Teri Muller as “Tawny, Deb and Linda.”
For sheer versatility, the AFD Theatre cast of "LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY" deserves high praise.
(Photo: The CAST of the Topher Payne comedy "LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY" at AFD Theatre in Arlington, MA. until December 15, 2024. Photo Credit: Leslie Maiocca)
Hopefully, this show will become a new alternative for the rather limited holiday fare out there (except, perhaps, on the Hallmark channel).
"LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY" continues at AFD Theatre in Arlington until December 15th and is well worth seeing for the efforts of this multi-faceted cast.
Coming up next at AFD Theatre will be "THE HUMANS" by Stephen Karam beginning March 14th, 2025.
For more information or tickets, contact AFD Theatre at www.afdtheatre.org/buy-tickets or by calling the box office at # 781-646-5922 or emailing boxoffice@afdtheatre.org.
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Approximately two hours with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
In Topher Payne's "LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY" it is Christmas, and Kevin and Allie are about to become parents.
They're just waiting for a phone call.
Although they've asked their families to keep their distance until they bring the baby home, of course no one keeps their distance. Kevin's father visits with his much-younger wife and their extended clan, followed by Kevin's mother with her veterinarian, her upstairs neighbor, and her favorite author.
And then Allie's family invades, including her ultra-competitive sister, her Bubbie, and Bubbie's gentleman friend.
Eight actors play twenty-two characters in this lightning-paced holiday farce that celebrates families of all kinds.
ABOUT ARLINGTON FRIENDS OF THE DRAMA/AFD THEATRE
ARLINGTON FRIENDS OF THE DRAMA, now known as AFD THEATRE, was founded in 1923 and is one of the ten oldest continually operating community theatre groups in the country. Now located in the former St. John's Episcopal Church, which has been extensively updated and made handicap-accessible. AFD THEATRE is among the finest area playhouses for actors, directors, production designers and audiences to produce and enjoy live theatre.About AFD THEATRE SeasonsAFD THEATRE puts on four productions: two musicals and two straight plays. AFD THEATRE holds auditions months ahead, and rehearse evenings and weekends. AFD THEATRE welcomes you to join the fun: help build sets, make costumes, do lights. Usher or sell concessions. AFD THEATRE is a community endeavor that seeks to engage all ages in the fun and exciting act of putting on a play!
22 Academy Street
Arlington, MA. 02476
# 781-646-5922
