A colorful, cartoonish house, bricked-in from its Parisian surroundings but for a huge gate to one side, sets the tone for a mix of 17th-century Moliere and modern delightful silliness. Enter the cast, on strings like puppets, in pop-period dress and wigs -- all but two masked men in black tux. A throwback to the zanies or traditional masked clowns of Italian commedia that so influenced Moliere, they function also as French puppet manipulators who are seen onstage and often act as narrators. Here both Jeff Sargent and Berry Ayers deftly assume all such duties, like "authors" arranging scenes and phases of action.
Based on The School for Wives, the plot involves greedy old Arnolphe (comically creaky and cranky Robert Turoff). With a plan that's "Simplicity" itself, he's kept ward Agnes in a convent, ignorant of everything but religious life and everyone but nuns and himself, to prime her to marry him. Now that she's "of age" -- and ready to come into her fortune, she's been imprisoned in his house. There she's guarded by servants Georgette (vivacious Samantha Barrett) and Alain (vigorously dealing and dancing Dewayne Barrett), who'll do anything for money.
When Arnolphe goes out, along comes young Horace (Michael Swickard, handsome in voice and looks). He sees Agnes (Sarah Farnam, sweet and naive yet convincing when she turns spunky) at her door. She sees him outside the gate; they sing "Feelings" of love. By phone(!), she tells him of her plight, but without identifying her guardian.
Meeting Arnolphe, Horace reveals what's gone on, sending him off to trap Agnes into confession. ("What Did You Do Today?") He decides to hurry the marriage to "When the Sun Comes Up." This, despite admonitions from his old friend Chrysalde (Ben Turoff, with perfect timing), an expert in managing affairs with women. From then on, though, with many swings of the gate and much rewarding of the golddigging servants, "Nobody Else" than Horace is in store for Agnes. "Explanations" unmask the zanies to become revealers of a happy ending. Among the musical treats are a "Jailhouse Gavotte" executed by the servants, a burlesque "We Ain't Dead Yet" (Sarah and Samantha) with Kyle Ennis Turoff does a stellar job of melding mixed comedic and musical styles in her stage direction. John Visser's music and DeWayne Barrett's dances, including tap and Charleston, help achieve the fun result.
Anachronisms, visual and verbal, are a hoot, as are Dee Richards' costumes and Michael Newton-Brown's set and lighting. No wonder Golddiggers of 1633 has become a Golden Apple audience favorite.
a FAN-tastic end, and Ben/Chrysalde's plaintive "What Have You Got to Remember?" Straight out of Moliere is the classic lyric, well-handled here, of Arnolphe urging Agnes to "Continue, Continue" reading aloud a lesson on woman's debts of obedience.
