“Wizardly... magical and funny... a master of language. Drop-everything-and-go!”
New York Times drama critic Vincent Canby wrote that about the premiere of David Ives’s comedy “All in the Timing.”
Now that Creede Repertory Theatre is running Ives’ adaptation of “The Liar,” a classic French farce, I’d say the same. Directed by Nagle Jackson with a dream cast headed by the brilliant John DiAntonio, the Creede production ignites a comedic explosion you won’t forget.
“The Liar” was Pierre Corneille’s only comedy. Written in 1643, it was based on one of the many trickster tales popular in the 17th century, not the least of which was Don Juan. Corneille’s play centers on Dorante, a young man from the provinces who arrives in Paris to maneuver an upward path into society. With the ease of a confident man, he lies about his past, prowess and exploits.
Corneille filled his frolic with topical references to delight the French court. In his adaptation for modern audiences, American playwright Ives has translated and adapted Corneille’s farce with witty contemporary language and spectacular rhymes.
In 2010, the Washington, D.C., Shakespeare Theatre Co. mounted the American premiere of “The Liar.” Other companies have rushed to the roar, including the Creede Rep now presenting the Colorado premiere.
Like the French masterpiece, Ives’ script is in verse with abundant word play. Ives has imaginatively included contemporary colloquialisms. For example, instead of saying a character “married auspiciously well,” now he or she “traded up.” Then a player might add: “And I’m not making this up.”
Stylish as the script, Jon Young’s witty set graphically imagines the Tuileries Garden. Flanked by two Parisian palaces, it plumes elegantly above the Place Royale. Costumer Tatyana De Pavloff recreates 17th century dress with shimmering silks, boots, brass buttons and lace cuffs at wrist and ankle.
At the center of the mischief, Dorante swaggers. Played by DiAntonio with quicksilver wit and Olympian energy, the braggart, charmer and teller of epic tales acquires a servant (Cliton, portrayed with quizzical skepticism by Graham Ward). They set about Paris as Dorante dazzles young women, deceives his father and betrays his best friend. Their quarrel sparks a duel. In keeping with the tone of the farce, it’s one of the funniest in stage history – created by fight director DiAntonio.
Like folk-tale tricksters all over the world, Dorante is not evil, just mischievous, intent and adept at getting what he wants. He squirms out of self-made traps only to plunge into others – all with a shrug, a dazzling smile and a new set of lies.
Ives has added a few twists to the Corneille original: a saucy set of twins (hilariously contrasted by Caitlin Wise) and unexpected revelations at the end, which is happy, of course. But it’s not without some squirrely moments.
“The Liar” comes close to being a perfect production, and it’s one of the best in the company’s history.
jreynolds@durangoherald.com. Judith Reynolds is a Durango writer, art historian and arts journalist.
‘Liar’ isn’t only play worth seeing in Creede
CREEDE – “Hope and Gravity,” by Michael Hollinger, is the final play to open in Creede this summer. It runs through Sept. 20, closing the 2014 season.
Spectacularly written and unusually structured, this nonlinear play mixes high comedy with a serious through line: sudden, random events change our lives and yet we go on.
The play poses the hidden question – “Why?” - while balancing verbal and physical humor. It pushes ordinary situations but stops short of surrealism. In short, “Hope and Gravity” offers provocative drama packaged in an appealing contemporary form.
Creede Repertory Theatre has staged other Hollinger works: “Ghost-Writer” in 2012, “A wonderful Noise” in 2009 and the hilarious “Incorruptible” in 2000 – this latter my introduction to this extraordinary playwright and reviewed in these pages. Productive and commercially successful, Hollinger, 52, is a playwright who teaches at Villanova University. Let’s hope one of his plays finds a way into Creede’s 50th anniversary next summer.
“Hope and Gravity” starts innocently at an elevator. Four people arrive, wait and ride. There’s talk of an elevator accident which may have killed two people. The shadow of this event hovers over the remaining eight scenes.
Five actors play nine roles, and their lives mysteriously interconnect with often startling consequences. You have to fill in a lot of gaps, which makes the bitter-sweet mixture of comedy and tragedy all the more provocative.
Creede stalwarts John Arp, Kate Berry, John DiAntonio, Graham Ward and Caitlin Wise create a believable contemporary urban universe. Director Sarna Lapine enhances the strong sense of reality with thoughtful pacing, especially in the context of John McDermott’s set, which mixes realism and abstraction.
All in all, this new play, which premiered in Pittsburgh only this spring, has continued CRT’s laudable commitment to contemporary drama.
As Vincent Canby said years ago about a David Ives play, I say today for both “The Liar” and “Hope and Gravity”: “Drop-everything-and-go!”
jreynolds@durangoherald.com. Judith Reynolds is a Durango writer, art historian and arts journalist.
If you go
Creede Repertory Theatre’s performance of “The Liar” runs through Sept. 19 at Creede Repertory Theatre, 124 North Main St. in Creede. Tickets start at $11. Visit www.creederep.org or call 719-658-2540 for more information.
