"Play On!" - by Rick Abbot - Cannon Theatre (Devens, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: The CAST of "PLAY ON!" by Rick Abbot now playing at Cannon Theatre in Devens, MA. through November 9, 2024. Photo Credit: Shawn Cannon)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“I wish she wouldn't keep changing the identity of the murderer! I don't know whether to radiate menace or charm the pants off everyone!”
- ("Saul Watson") / Rick Abbot
The Cannon Theatre
Presents the Rick Abbot Comedy
"PLAY ON!"
Written by Rick Abbot
Directed by Kathleen O'Connor
Produced by Heather Pruiksma
Stage Managed by Andrew Harrington
Cast Includes: Maren Caulfield as "Aggie," Billy Del Sesto as "Billy," Mary Beth Fletcher as "Gerry," Simon Jensen-Fellows as "Henry," Cathy Koerwer as "Phyllis," Jeremy McMahon as "Saul," Elyssa Miller as "Polly," Jillian Reid as "Smitty," Rosie Pellizzari as "Louise," Vivian Wholey as "Violet"
Additional Creative Team:
Set Design - Shawn Cannon; Lighting Design - Jake Snyder; Set Build/Sound Design - Bret Bahe; Costume/Hair Design/Props - Shawn Cannon.
Performances:
October 25, 2024 through November 9, 2024
(Contact Venue for Exact Dates and Times)
THE CANNON THEATRE, 28 Andrews Parkway, Devens, MA.
TICKETS:
For tickets visit www.thecannontheatre.org
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.
The Cannon Theatre has staged the raucous comedy "PLAY ON!" which will resonate for anyone who has ever been involved in the mounting of a community theatre production.
The play-within-a-play farce was written in 1980 credited to Rick Abbot which was, in actuality, one of several pseudonyms used by noted writer Jack Sharkey (who passed away in 1992).
Sharkey also used the pen names “Mark Chandler,” “Monk Ferris,” and “Mike Johnson” and also wrote a 1965 "origin story" novel based on Charles Addams' iconic “The Addams Family.”
Out of respect and for the sake of consistency this review of "PLAY ON!" will continue referring to Sharkey as “Abbot.”
Similar in structure to the Michael Frayne comedy “Noises Off,” which deals with the complex backstage antics of a touring company, Abbot’s "PLAY ON!" is more straightforward farce.
"PLAY ON!" illustrates the multiple struggles of the fictional Abbotsville Community Theatre and its director Geraldine “Gerry” Dunbar (Mary Beth Fletcher).
Gerry has agreed to stage an Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery play “Murder Most Foul,” written by local eccentric and wannabe playwright Phyllis Montague (Cathy Koerwer).
Cleverly staged in the immersive Cannon Theatre space by director Kathleen O’Connor, "PLAY ON!" is presented in three acts:
- Act One shows us one of the final rehearsals before dress and opening night.
- Act Two is the cast’s final dress rehearsal just before opening night.
- Act Three is the show’s actual opening night, which does not go…well, you’ll see.
Under O’Connor’s guidance, the Cannon Theatre show flows at a brisk and solid pace with some commendable performances given by the cast.
The final act is the actual premiere of “Foul,” which is brilliantly funny as the play-within-a-play does not execute as hoped.
It just doesn't. It really doesn't.
Suffering mostly from a panic-struck cast, there are also misplaced props, dropped cues...and antics mostly coming from two members of the ensemble who attempt to “take the edge off” (repeatedly) in between scenes.
(Photo: The CAST of "PLAY ON!" by Rick Abbot now playing at Cannon Theatre in Devens, MA. through November 9, 2024. Photo Credit: Shawn Cannon)
With curtain due to rise, panicky "Foul" director Gerry feels her production is nowhere near ready and rest assured, like any farce, anything that can go wrong does.
Fletcher gives a totally committed performance as the character of Gerry, a director who should have been totally committed before agreeing to stage the incomplete play written by Phyllis.
Phyllis lifts from multiple sources and keeps making major changes to the script mere nights before the play is due to open.
Even the title of the play by Phyllis, “Murder Most Foul,” will be instantly recognizable to Agatha Christie fans.
However, Phyllis’ “Foul” play bears little resemblance, nor does justice, to Christie’s “Miss Marple” classic.
It just doesn't. It really doesn't.
Koerwer is delightfully droll as the disturbingly ditzy Phyllis.
Gerry is aided by her dedicated and capable backstage crew members Aggie Manville (Maren Caulfield) and Louise Peary (Rosie Pellizzari).
Both Caulfield and Pellizzari are hilarious as Gerry’s beleaguered staff.
Not only does Gerry address the incessant…and incoherent…re-writes by Phyllis, but the frazzled director also addresses ongoing internal friction between members of her cast, as well.
(Photo: Maren Caulfield as "Aggie" with Cathy Koerwer as "Phyllis" in a scene from "PLAY ON!" by Rick Abbot now playing at Cannon Theatre in Devens, MA. through November 9, 2024. Photo Credit: Shawn Cannon)
Phyllis has written the juiciest parts of “Foul” for her friend Polly Benish (Elyssa Miller) and Polly’s milquetoast husband, Henry (Simon Jensen-Fellows), which does not sit well with others in the cast, including Saul Watson (Jeremy McMahon) who tosses barbs at Polly every chance he gets.
Playing the Benishes, Jensen-Fellows is a perfect match for Miller and the two have unmistakable chemistry.
In fact, there should be something instantly recognizable with the “Benishes” to many community theatre veterans who know of “THAT high maintenance couple” which includes (but is not limited to) the "mandate" that, if they are not always cast opposite one another, "fuggedd aboud it."
McMahon is completely in his element as the quick-witted Watson, who will tolerate none of the Benish’s aloof and elitist antics.
As the play-within-a-play progresses (or more accurately “deteriorates”) some of the funniest lines come from this trio of performers, not only as the Abbotsville ensemble players but also as the characters they portray in “Foul.”
Also cast in the “Foul” play are Violet Imbry (Vivian Wholey) and Billy Carewe (Billy Del Sesto) who play the romantic leads but find they truly are attracted to one another.
Each has a propensity to forget, misinterpret or mispronounce lines during “Foul” rehearsals which exasperates everyone involved.
Wholey and Del Sesto work well off of one another, especially as their characters run an intimate scene from “Foul” which gets interrupted at the worst possible moment by Louise.
In the final act of "PLAY ON!" Del Sesto is given an odd-looking wig which, at the October 25th performance, looked like it was about to fall off.
Otherwise, though, the wig added a hilarious visual element to the final scene which also contains some delightfully staged physical comedy.
All the bickering and in-fighting by cast and creative team escalates which has a negative effect on the already-anxiety-ridden young Maria “Smitty” Smith (Jillian Reid) who plays a maid in “Foul” and, when not on stage, is studying for school.
Reid is a lot of fun to watch in many scenes, both as the fictional maid and as the stressed out student.
(Photo: The CAST of "PLAY ON!" by Rick Abbot now playing at Cannon Theatre in Devens, MA. through November 9, 2024. Photo Credit: Shawn Cannon)
Set, costume and prop issues abound, forcing the cast to try some hilariously crazy line and blocking maneuvers in order to get “Foul” back on track.
Throughout the show, there are many moments of well-staged physical comedy.
Compounding matters is the playwright herself, who has volunteered to “help” the backstage crew.
But the real intent of Phyllis is to oversee the “Foul” material to ensure that it gets presented as she intended.
You guessed it - It just doesn’t. It really doesn’t.
Set design by Shawn Cannon is clever and is used extremely well in the immersive space, allowing for rapid scene changes which helps keep the pacing continuously fluid.
"PLAY ON!" continues at The Cannon Theatre in Devens until November 10th and is a riotously funny free-for-all for everyone.
Coming up in the spring for Cannon will be “ENCHANTED APRIL” by Matthew Barber which begins March 21, 2025.
Approximately two hours with TWO brief intermissions.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
One plucky community theatre is about to produce a show called "Murder Most Foul," a new “murder mystery play” with the same title as an Agatha Christie novel but with no relation whatsoever.
The director/theatre manager, Gerry, thought producing the play was a good idea since the inexperienced playwright has agreed to let the company perform the show for no charge.
Gerry, however, had no idea what disasters awaited her: the show is hilariously amateur, the “murder mystery” plot doesn’t really have a murder, and to top it off the playwright keeps changing the story and script only two days from its premiere!
It doesn’t help that the cast is disgruntled, and the playwright accidentally deletes the entire sound effect board.
All of the disasters come to fruition in Act III when the company performs the actual show with hilarious mishaps as every turn.
"PLAY ON!" is a hilarious love letter to community theatre. (STAGEAGENT)
ABOUT THE CANNON THEATRE
THE CANNON THEATRE was founded by Shawn Cannon and Bret Bahe, who shared a dream of creating a community theater – a place for learning, and great plays, a place where people could enjoy the company of others, laugh, and just lose themselves in the joy of artistic expression. Over the years, the theater incorporated, and then became a non-profit organization, managed so that every precious cent made from each production is carefully fed right back into the creation of the next. During the Pandemic of 2020, the theater was forced to close, as their overhead was too high, They began searching for a new space during 2021, and found it in the late summer of 2021. THE CANNON THEATRE board, which still includes the theater’s very active and passionate founders, invites you to join us and experience this welcoming community, whether as an audience member, an actor, backstage crew, or even director. We guarantee you will leave feeling satisfied!
28 Andrews Parkway
Devens, MA.
# 978-448-2108
