Dead On
Franklin musical theater company delivers a winner with corpse comedy Lucky Stiff
by Martin Brady
Lucky Stiff
Presented by The Boiler Room Theatre
Through April 20 at The Factory at Franklin
$14-$19; for tickets, call 794-7744
A simply delightful musical comedy opened last weekend in Franklin. The Boiler Room Theatre's new production of Lucky Stiff—first produced in New York by Playwrights Horizons in 1988—showcases Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's riotously silly adaptation of Michael Butterworth's story "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo." With its well-balanced cast and resourceful staging, this zany, highly entertaining show is the company's best overall effort since its inaugural I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change nearly a year ago.
Mild-mannered, canine-phobic British shoe salesman Harry Witherspoon receives word that he's about to come into some money. His recently deceased Uncle Anthony, an Atlantic City croupier, has left him $6 million, all right. But there's a catch: Harry must take the corpse on a weeklong vacation in Monte Carlo, and he must fulfill to the letter all the terms of this bizarre arrangement, which include nightclubbing, gambling and even scuba-diving. If he defaults, the money goes to a charity for dogs (in Brooklyn, no less), and to that end, there's a young lady on the scene anxiously and suspiciously cataloging Harry's every move. Uncle Anthony's legally blind, gun-toting harridan of an ex-girlfriend is also skulking about: She's got competing claims on the dough. Finally, there's a surprise ending that turns what has preceded it upside-down.
It's all silliness, really, but the company pulls it off wittily throughout, with tongues firmly in cheeks. Besides the humorous setup concerning the nebbishy Harry, nutty tableaux abound once the action shifts to the French Riviera, including a hilariously cheesy nightclub act, a "dog" dream sequence and loads of farcical running around after the corpse disappears with a drunken hotel maid.
Corbin Green handles the direction for this comedy of errors, and he does a very nice job of playing traffic cop and keeping the action on pace, with actors racing to and fro, slamming doors, getting the wheelchair-bound Uncle Anthony on- and offstage, etc. The energetic cast helps him out mightily too, effecting quick, admirably executed set changes and otherwise conquering the physical limitations of their space.
The players are absolutely in synch with the spirit of things. They are led by Patrick Kramer, a likable, rubber-faced comic actor who makes the most of every moment as the innocent, beleaguered Harry. In a bit of a breakout Nashville performance, Kramer—who can also be seen locally doing improv with The Skeleton Crew—proves to be a fine singer as well, rendering his musical numbers with the kind of sympathetic panache that made Robert Morse a big Broadway star many years ago. He's not alone, however. Megan Murphy, as Kramer's antagonist, is his equal in personal appeal. She also has a lovely singing voice, best evidenced in the pretty solo ballad "Times Like This."
Everyone else is right on target too. Sondra Morton-Chaffin as the money-grubbing, venomous but ultimately harmless Rita La Porta is over-the-top funny. Lewis Kempfer as her pupon optometrist brother gets his laughs and croons capably. Laura Jewel is a captivating stage presence as the chanteuse Dominique Du Monaco, and she brings down the house leading the singing in the number "Speaking French." Marc Mazzone, a gifted local actor who's usually seen in serious dramatic fare, adds well-turned comic shtick to his résumé as the mysterious Luigi Gaudi.
In a variety of ensemble cameos—landlady, bellhop, bearded nun, etc.—are Lisa Gillespie, J. Dietz Osborne and Scott Rice, who prove for all time the age-old theatrical axiom, "There are no small roles, only small actors." All three are hysterically funny.
Special mention has got to be made of Craig Murphy, who, as the corpse of Uncle Anthony, wins a musical theater meritorious award for a performance above and beyond the call of duty. He spends the entire evening frozen solid in a wheelchair. He's onstage constantly, yet never moves a muscle. His fellow actors even nod his head for him at the curtain call. Bravo!
Boiler Room musical director Jamey Green tickles the ivories in his usual professional fashion, supported by Mark Beall on keyboards and Rick Malkin on drums. The Stephen Flaherty score is not exactly revelatory, but it's tuneful enough, and it certainly complements the daffy goings-on.
Lucky Stiff is a real winner. It's worth the trip to Franklin.
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