PATCH Entertainment Event: The Foreigner: Far More than A Very Clever Comedy- You'll THINK, Not Just Laugh

Theater Review:  PATCH Entertainment Event:  Long Beach, Belmont Shore, Naples, Los Alamitos/Seal Beach

The Foreigner:   More than  A Very Clever Comedy, The Writer, Director, Cast, and Backstage Crews Give Their All To The Wise Message

By: Joseph Sirota

Hoorah for 2013 !! Time for 8 Cheers-10 times over-then 5 Cheers more, for the 85th Anniversary of our fine neighbor of live theater of every type, and every playwright from best known Classics to new born theater pieces in their very first production, here in our backyard. The Long Beach Playhouse (LBPH) has been brave and able to mix each season from Comedy, to Mystery, to Romance, to Musical and more.  Some daring works offer a theatrical porridge swirling with a bit of all the aforementioned kinds & styles(No cowards here, except a few Noel Coward plays). A clever choice for Year 85 is THE FOREIGNER -- an admirably unique diversity of Long Beach Playhouse's "Talent-and-Guts" stretching the envelope from Raucous Comedy to Near Tragedies-- and from a seemingly Silly tale, to a memorable surprise which turns into downright issues of humanity, psychology, politics and humanities' mores. Chuckles and guffaws dominate early scenes, but, oh those 2nd- ACT scenes ...  will have you startled with amazing laughter and true tears of joy for the major awakenings of previously, downtrodden characters, and good-riddances to big-shots exposed as rotten louses. Voila! Some deemed Foreigners as distained for Not-Fitting-In and hence tabbed "Not-Normal"...But blossoming into dear friends & heroes, when  we listen to them, with open hearts...Not closed ears, & eyes!

Creatively, playwright, Larry Shue creates a story in the core signature style of using a daring humorous tale, and then turn it into wise "lessons" we can & do learn from. (Who Would Expect That?) Shue, himself was a rather young writer/actor, starting to win and reach audiences with odd humor & ideas. On his way to lots more creative, thought-providing plays ahead, sadly, his unique style/messages died, with Shue in an all too soon airplane crash. It's well worthy to come see for yourself how Shue's play style inventively at first can seem like a rather outlandish comedy, well-sprinkled, with silly characterizations, mainly providing smiles and unavoidable chuckles/fun. But we soon find deep feelings and life's pains inside in core role (Charlie) who is so afraid of being scoffed by the world as he's been by his wife, that he has locked himself in a self-imposed solitary life path. Bottled up for so long, Charlie's boyhood only friend, the well-meaning & oh-so outgoing pal, Froggy, pulls dear Charlie with him, to a small, rundown Georgia farmhouse bed-&-breakfast for a weekend. Well-meaning Froggy, hopes the calm, quiet surroundings and the kind, funny owner, Auntie-Betty may warmly/safely-open Charlie's inner wit and warmth. Stuck in silence, can such little steps help, Charlie can't even bring himself to speak to anyone but Froggy? To explain Charlie's silence in life, Froggy covers by telling Betty and others there that Charlie is a distant Foreigner from a tiny land, who can't understand or speak English. The few folks there, see Charlie as very strange, but Betty is Auntish, & tries to befriend Charlie unstressfully. Discover the other 4 folks as they unfold !!!

Author Shue & Wise Director Gigi Fusco Meese are both far from complacent with just seeking giggles. Nope, Shue & Meese both adeptly & successfully use humor to tackle important, sensitive, serious issues... such as inner psychological fears, suppressed unspoken feelings, or societal locked gates in the form of bullies, intolerance and even racism or xenophobia. If Shue were alive today he'd be pleased with Meese  and the cast's funny, yet sensitive portrayals. He'd happily recognize his message to distain life's Horrid Damages of Bullying, Mocking and Barring-Out folks (& Children) because they are different in some ways. Larry might well smile, and say, I'm glad you all got my message, of--We're all "Foreigners" in the eyes of others. Some do coldly push away anyone not following the one-only-correct-life-trail. But don't be lemmings marching in a line of others' one-ideas...sez this inner play. Shue & Meese challenge us to rethink & re-feel via humor, not hatred.

The ONE & ONLY Cosmic Foreigner Actor: Never saw Greg B4 but WOW! is he perfect for the very daring Charlie other-worldly super-role

Greg Barnett (Charlie). He handily manages to carry off a role of virtually no words in Act-I, then goes into after-burner like a rocket in Act-2!!!

The Two Outgoing, Friendly, Nice Guys: As good a duo as you can hope for in constructing the plot, and lighting up any stage given them.

Mitchell Nunn (Froggy) is a fine, hi-energy actor that can keep any scene going, any audience enjoying, & any plot working. I'd hire him 123 !

Phyllis Nofts (Betty) might just be a 2nd cousin of M.Nunn, she's also terrific in comedic timing, warm/caring presence can handle lines well!

The Two Bad Guys: just wanna' get all the money, control all the power, and get rid of anybody of any different/morals. It's a darn hard life!

Skip Blas (Owen) Kids himself about always being a Bad-Guy/Villain, but wise theater/film fans know how crucial the ominous/dangerous bad-guy is; Heck there'd be no thrill or edge of seat tension with only well-groomed Heroes.

Jeff Cheezum (David) As a Holy Man with far more Greed and Lust than Soul, this Nasty-Dude handles a real tough role--Keeping a rich fiancée quiet-- controlling an angry, big, bashing partner, while the Foreigner turns into a Hero.

Brother & Sister Roles:  Though working with limited time/clarity by the script to solidly create their background lives, they really fly in Act-2!!

James Paul Xavier (Ellard) & BriAnna Hill (Catherine) They sure win us over to care, once we see them releasing themselves (ala Charlie).

In addition to Director Gigi Fusco Meese and the well-adept/chosen cast, LBPH's backstage team very well creates all the things & the-know-how, that make the show a delightful/magical event and earns audience applause for their hard work and creative abilities: Sean Gray(Set Design); Donna Fritsche(Costumes); Daniel Driskol(Lighting);  Larry Mura(Sound/Props);  Scenic Painter(Drew Otero). A fine Production A-Z !

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==> Long Beach Playhouse Mainstage Theatre, 5021 E.Anaheim St, Long Beach.  Sched: Fri & Sat 8:PM.    Sun matinees @ 2:PM. 

Closes: Oct 26.   Tkts: $24 ($21 Senior, $14 Student). Call: (562) 494-1014   Website: www.LBPlayhouse.org