Red Herring
"Red Herring" entertains; puppets play lead roles
Patrick Timmis
Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: Arts
Are you ready to have some fun? The theatre department is taking a break from more serious productions to present a play that is pure entertainment.
"We have a fairly serious Shakespeare play coming up in the spring; we had a fairly serious play with 'Our Town.' We wanted something that would contrast with that," director David Griffiths said. "It's physical humor, broad humor, hopefully laugh out loud funny. We'll let the audience tell us that."
And if you're in the mood to laugh, Red Herring is the place to be. This film-noir farce is a hilarious romp through a 1950s world of love, deception, Soviet spies and a box of Velveeta that just might change the course of history.
When a murdered man turns out to be a member of a Soviet spy ring, unlikely criminals and romances gone haywire threaten to thwart the forces of the law. Will the police connect the dots in time to catch the killer and stop the Soviets from stealing a vital piece of information?
Senior Thomas Phippen turns in a solid performance as Frank Keller, an FBI agent who thinks he's found the girl of his dreams. That girl, played by sophomore Caitlyn Hubbard, is Maggie Pelletier. Hubbard does a nice job as a dedicated policewoman who won't get married until she finally solves her big case.
What really set this show apart, however, are the wonderful puppets characters designed by junior Kirsty Sadler. "Red Herring" is written for all "human" actors, but the puppets add so much that it's hard to imagine the show without them.
Not only can Sadler make a mean puppet, she can also use it. She plays Lynn McCarthy, a cute, stereotypical blonde who gets a big surprise from her new fiancé. Sadler seems to disappear into her puppet character, and her timing and vocal characterization is spot on.
Another standout is freshman Margaret Ball. She steals the show as Mrs. Kravitz, a hard-boiled landlady with a serious thing for one of her tenants. Ball's voice work and control of her puppet are truly admirable.
The show features some great puppet cameos as well. Senior Kate Jones is a stitch as Mrs. VanNostrand, the proprietor of a wedding-dress shop with a bleak outlook on marriage, and senior Matthew Chastain's scene as the frazzled priest at confessional is downright hilarious.
"Red Herring" is all around a very solid, well-directed play with an engaging storyline, solid sets and costumes, and great performances. However, parents should know that it is also quite bawdy and is recommended for children aged 13 and up. Griffiths said that despite the extensive use of puppets, this show is not targeted at children.
"A farce often has sexual humor. That's a big part of farce in any kind of era, so there is that [and] there is suggestive language," Griffiths said.
Performances are this week, Wednesday to Saturday at 8:00 p.m., with a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Saturday as well. Admission is free. No reservations are required.
"We have a fairly serious Shakespeare play coming up in the spring; we had a fairly serious play with 'Our Town.' We wanted something that would contrast with that," director David Griffiths said. "It's physical humor, broad humor, hopefully laugh out loud funny. We'll let the audience tell us that."
And if you're in the mood to laugh, Red Herring is the place to be. This film-noir farce is a hilarious romp through a 1950s world of love, deception, Soviet spies and a box of Velveeta that just might change the course of history.
When a murdered man turns out to be a member of a Soviet spy ring, unlikely criminals and romances gone haywire threaten to thwart the forces of the law. Will the police connect the dots in time to catch the killer and stop the Soviets from stealing a vital piece of information?
Senior Thomas Phippen turns in a solid performance as Frank Keller, an FBI agent who thinks he's found the girl of his dreams. That girl, played by sophomore Caitlyn Hubbard, is Maggie Pelletier. Hubbard does a nice job as a dedicated policewoman who won't get married until she finally solves her big case.
What really set this show apart, however, are the wonderful puppets characters designed by junior Kirsty Sadler. "Red Herring" is written for all "human" actors, but the puppets add so much that it's hard to imagine the show without them.
Not only can Sadler make a mean puppet, she can also use it. She plays Lynn McCarthy, a cute, stereotypical blonde who gets a big surprise from her new fiancé. Sadler seems to disappear into her puppet character, and her timing and vocal characterization is spot on.
Another standout is freshman Margaret Ball. She steals the show as Mrs. Kravitz, a hard-boiled landlady with a serious thing for one of her tenants. Ball's voice work and control of her puppet are truly admirable.
The show features some great puppet cameos as well. Senior Kate Jones is a stitch as Mrs. VanNostrand, the proprietor of a wedding-dress shop with a bleak outlook on marriage, and senior Matthew Chastain's scene as the frazzled priest at confessional is downright hilarious.
"Red Herring" is all around a very solid, well-directed play with an engaging storyline, solid sets and costumes, and great performances. However, parents should know that it is also quite bawdy and is recommended for children aged 13 and up. Griffiths said that despite the extensive use of puppets, this show is not targeted at children.
"A farce often has sexual humor. That's a big part of farce in any kind of era, so there is that [and] there is suggestive language," Griffiths said.
Performances are this week, Wednesday to Saturday at 8:00 p.m., with a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Saturday as well. Admission is free. No reservations are required.
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