Theatre Review: The Philadelphia Story
Daily Variety
A South Coast Repertory presentation of a comedy in three acts by Philip
Barry. Directed by Libby Appel; sets, Cliff Faulkner; lighting, Peter
Maradudin; costumes, Ann Bruice; music and sound, Michael Roth; producing
artistic director, David Emmes; artistic director, Martin Benson. Opened Feb.
28, 1992.
Tracy Lord ... Lynnda Ferguson
C.K. Dexter Haven ... Douglas Sills
Macaulay Conner ... Geoff Eliott
Liz Imbrie ... Elizabeth Norment
George Kittredge ... Daren Kelly
Dinah Lord ... Jennifer Elise Cox
Margaret Lord ... Jill Andre
Sandy Lord ... Marc Alain Epstein
Seth Lord ... Richard Doyle
Uncle Willie ... John-David Keller
Thomas ... Don Took
Mac ... Art Koustik
Faced with the challenge of staging a play whose filmadaptation remains
vivid, South Coast Rep and director Libby Appel have come up with a highly
entertaining show with a strong cast.
Young, rich and beautiful Tracy Lord (Lynnda Ferguson)prepares for her
wedding to George Kittredge (Daren Kelly), a self-made man who made his recent
fortune in coal. To prevent the publication of a story about Tracy's father
(Richard Doyle)
and a show girl, the family goes along with the intrusion of reporter Macaulay
Conner (Geoff Eliott) and photographer Liz Imbrie (Elizabeth Norment).
Tracy's first husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Douglas Sills), an engaging scion
who designs racing yachts, shows up to wish his ex-wife well.
One of this play's strengths is that it delves beneath the comedy, offering
characters with depth.
Tracy divorced Dexter over his drinking, from which he's recovered. She's
unforgiving, but Dexter tries to make her see that everyone makes mistakes.
Finally, her eyes are opened by her own frailties. In the process, the caring
and confused Tracy shakes Conner's preconceptions about the spoiled rich.
Ferguson first comes across as mimicking Hepburn -- she has the lanky look,
the carriage and the "Havahd Yahd" accent.
When one considers, however, that playwright Philip Barry modeled Tracy
Lord's character on Hepburn and tailored the play for her, Hepburnesque would
seem the right way to go.
To the actress' credit, Tracy's despair is deeper and edgier here than in
the film, as she struggles to grasp life as a mortal rather than as agoddess.
As Conner, Geoff Eliott quickly and clearly stamps the role as his own.
Douglas Sills as C.K. Dexter Haven, in pencil-thin mustache and
navigational clothes, appears as a cross between Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and the
winner of a George Hamilton look-alike contest.
Sills seems younger than Ferguson's Tracy, and the necessary chemistry
never materializes. This new Haven seems better suited for Connecticut.
Even so, he has his moments, especially as he comes down hard on Tracy's
contempt for people not as strong-willed as herself -- he becomes an
interesting cad. Cliff Faulkner's sets, exquisitely opulent and detailed,
spin on a
turntable to reveal both a formal sitting room and the florid splendor ofthe
porch outside. And Ann Bruice's costumes effectively evoke the play's place
and time. She
swathes Tracy in distinct and elegant clothing that offers femininity and
boldness for a woman who would never consider subjugation.
Just as bold is Appel's direction. Her flair for the comic never undercuts
the sure-but-desperate characters.
"The Philadelphia Story" runs through March 29.
-Christopher Meeks, Daily Variety
March 4, 1992
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