Roving Pittsburgh Report.
"A Servant" at PBT thru December 6, Feircely Funny
by Megan Grabowski
Pittsburgh Public Theater (PPT) offers city
theatergoers a fantastic night with the fiercely funny A Servant to Two Masters.
Ted Pappas celebrates his 50th directorial performance with
one of his favorite plays and it’s not difficult to see why A Servant, was chosen as a celebratory
performance. The classic Italian comedy
written in 1749 by Carlo Goldoni and adapted by Lee Hall in 1999
maintains the original lively love story with a mingling of modern language, retro
costumes, an updated setting, (Venice 1965) and fun loving Italian folk music. The show comprises a cast of both PPT
returning actors as well as new faces that enliven the stage and keep the audience
in stitches from scene one through final bows.
The plays opens with a celebration; Clarice and
Silvio are celebrating their engagement with their
fathers, Pantaloon and Dr.
Lombardi, as well as Smeraldina, Pantaloons’s domestic servant, and the town
inn keeper and chef Brighella. The merriment
is quickly interrupted when Truffaldino arrives with the announcement his
master, Federigo Rasponi, wishes to see them. The mood of the party promptly down spirals as
we learn Clarice was betrothed to Federigo until his death. She and Silvio fell
in love and became engaged thinking no more of her betrothal. Clarice, played by Erin Lindsay Krom, is darling
yet melodramatic as she stomps across the stage in a mod fashioned mini dress,
 |
| Erin Lindsey Krom and Patrick Cannon. |
wailing
at the announcement of having to marry Federigo. Silvio, played by the handsome and talented Patrick
Cannon, is desperate to keep Clarice for his own. He laments to anyone willing to listen to his
plight. He is the epitome of Italian lover; slicked back dark hair, designer shoes,
gold chains and a stylish paisley jacket, he and Clarice are in the midst of
planning a future and like most young lovers are enthralled with each other’s
company. Their randy behavior, pawing at
one another whenever they are together, could be seen as lewd but their
infatuation is so strong no one will deny them the opportunity to enact their
feelings.
 |
| Daina Michelle Griffith and Jimmy Kieffe |
The story unfolds with a
revelation; Federigo is dead and the person proclaiming to be him is actually Beatrice,
his sister. She is impersonating her
deceased brother in hope of securing the dowry Pantaloon agreed to pay for his
daughters hand in marriage and securing these finances would aid her effort in the
search for her true love Florindo. Included
in the plot with the love triangle is a mess of monkey business carried out by Truffaldino. Jimmy Kieffer as Truffaldino is a servant to
two masters. Already employed as Beatrice’s
servant, Truffaldino, by chance, meets Florindo at the inn. Florindo, incognito in leather pants and
shades fears someone in Venice will recognize him as the man who murdered
Rasponi. Veteran PPT actor David Whalen
cast as Florindo, hires Truffaldino as his servant and what follow is a series
or ironies, hilarious antics and mischievous undertakings by each
character.
The set, unembellished black and white sketches is
mounted on a turn table which rotates for quick and seamless scene changes. The
contrast between the flair of vintage costumes and the black and white is
reminiscent of mod culture. Audience
engagement throughout the show is plentiful and adds to the lighthearted nature
of the story. The music, used as a backdrop
between acts and at other moments an accompaniment to the farce, keeps the
audience connected to the cast.
 |
| The cast of A Servant To Two Masters |
What makes A
Servant so gratifying are the laughs.
The script is silly, a comedy created from quirkiness, intelligent
witticisms, innuendos and a little slapstick.
There is something for every taste in humor. Still, this wouldn’t matter if not for the
precisely perfect cast. A Servant has no small roles. Each character compliments the next and is essential
to the tightly woven plot. Diana
Michelle Griffith’s lusty disposition as Smeraldina is not too sexy or
uncomfortable but at times mildly inappropriate in a fun way. Truffaldino, performed by Kieffer is a large
man whose stage presence is fulfilling but never overwhelming. Truffaldino is gullible yet loveable and Kieffer
launches his comic timing on spot each and every time. Bill Buell as Pantaloon is the closest the
show comes to a villain. Pantaloon feels
obligated to keep his promise to Rasponi, meanwhile, Scott Robertson playing the
role of Dr. Lombardi is more protective. He is empathetic toward the young lovers, and
the two characters play off one another with little to no effort. A PPT debut performer, Bob Walton, is cast as
an eccentric artist named Brighella.
Brighella has a flair for entertainment and we watch in awe as he
attempts to perfect a four course meal for each of Truffaldino’s masters, in
one of the most notable theatrical dinner scenes of all time.
The best part of the show is the final scene. The audience is directed to open the program
to the first page and sing-a-long. With
vim and vigor we sang, swaying slightly, side to side, belting out the lyrics
in harmony with the cast. This uniting
moment remind me of just how good it feels to enjoy an
honest laugh.
A servant to two masters plays at the Pittsburgh Public Theater thru December 6, Additional info and tickets available Here
Reviewed by Megan Grabowski
Positively Pittsburgh Good News Reviewer, Professional writer, Social-Media Junkie, Community Fundraiser and Pittsburgh Enthusiast.
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