Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

Everything old is new again with Contra Costa Civic Theatre?s production of the Marx Brothers? classic Animal Crackers. It?s a winning reminder of the wacky wit and silly slapstick that made Groucho, Harpo, and Chico American comic icons.

The plot is merely an excuse to assemble a cast of zany characters. A well-known explorer, Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding (Timothy Beagley), returns from Africa to attend a gala party at the Long Island estate of Mrs. Rittenhouse (Cathlin C. Torrence). When the hostess unveils the centerpiece of her soiree, a valuable painting, and discovers it has been switched with a fake, all heck breaks loose.

From his hilarious entrance to the fall of the curtain, Beagley gamely delivers the well-worn but still effective Groucho Marx banter, imbuing timeless one-liners with fresh energy. His best verbal sparring partner is Ravelli, portrayed by the delightful Tom Reardon. Reardon is engaging in the Chico role, delivering some of the biggest laughs in the show particularly when paired with the wonderful, wide-eyed Amy Nielson. Nielson as The Professor perfectly invokes Harpo?s antic pantomime combined with boyish innocence.

The supporting cast is amiable if inconsistent. Torrence?s Mrs. Rittenhouse is a regal high-society dame, but we almost root for her scheming nemesis, Mrs. Whitehead, played with nasty relish by Kate Culbertson. Kerry Wininger as the hostess? daughter Arabella is fidgety but charmingly tart as she pursues the likeable-enough tabloid columnist, Wally Winston (Chris Geritz).

The Animal Crackers score is enjoyable but ultimately forgettable, except perhaps for ?Hooray for Captain Spaulding,? which became Groucho?s You Bet Your Life theme song. The romantic pairing of the young painter John Parker (Matt Davis) and his fianc?e Mary (Deborah Banks) croon three of the show?s duets, including ?Why Am I So Romantic?? Davis is charismatic with a strong voice, but Banks? lovely vocal quality doesn?t help her lyrics rise above the accompaniment. Their best number, ?Who?s Been Listening to My Heart,? is hilariously upstaged by the eavesdropping ensemble, showing some flashes of brilliance by choreographer LoRee Joelle. Those flashes are separated by stretches of conventional choices or unconventional ones that don?t quite work, but when Joelle is at her best, it?s a joy.

The flaws in the musical execution may be attributable to the fact that Joanne Gabel does double-duty as both the musical director and one of the three keyboardists in the orchestra. Placing the musicians in the house creates too great a hurdle for many of the vocalists to overcome, so harmonies and clever lyrics are often lost to the small, occasionally disappointing combo. The potential for the musical elements to gel is evident in ?Oh By Jingo! Oh By Gee!? which makes us wish for more.

Director David Bogdonoff creates some wonderful moments and leads his cast in having contagious fun. However, he has a fondness for entrances and exits through the audience, so avoid the back row where the parade of actors and technicians is distracting. The star of the design team is Paula Gruber whose period costumes are simply spectacular.

Animal Crackers is cotton-candy theatre ; sweet and fluffy. You can catch this confection of a show in El Cerrito now through May 20. Visit www.ccct.org or call (510) 524-6654 for tickets or info.