The Butcher of Baraboo
Valerie (a disarming Janet Chamberlain) lives alone with her adult daughter Midge (Nina Sallienen) one year after husband Frank disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Plagued by the constant interruption and suspicion of her police officer sister-in-law Gail (a vibrant Rebecca Jordan) and braced by the arrival of her brother-in-law (Carl J. Johnson) and his prim Utah wife (Jenny Kern), Valerie tries to keep it together as the skeletons in the family closet begin to peek out from where they've been hiding.
The Butcher of Baraboo is a loose and whimsical dark comedy. A little slow to start, the play kicks into gear with the arrival of Jordan's "Gail" and maintains a steady pace until the very end, where it doesn't quite hit with the same decisive panache otherwise on display. Nevertheless, playwright Marisa Wegryzn has drawn eccentric yet dimensional characters into an engaging plot.
Director Mark St. Amant confidently handles his actors and mise en scene. Rebecca Jordan quickens the pulse of the show with each entrance; she is simply a delight. Jenny Kern presents sweetness and light one moment, panic and dread the next, with believable sincerity. Janet Chamberlain applies the lightest of touches with Valerie, taking a subtle approach to a role that could easily lead an actor to chew the scenery with wild abandon.
And what incredible scenery it would be to chew. This isn't a set; it's a real, functioning house. Snow is falling outside the window, the sink has running water, and the cupboards appear stocked for a long winter. Jeff McLaughlin has gone the extra mile to give this production unquestionable authenticity. Costume Designer Mary Jane Miller has also paid close attention to the details, revealing character through her choices.
The Butcher of Baraboo is a charming show and a quality production, the perfect sort of dark family comedy to take in this time of year. It isn't deeply moving or earth-shatteringly "important" theatre, and for that I am glad. It is delightful entertainment, reason enough to take the time to check it out.
The Butcher of Baraboo is performed Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm through December 11th, 2010.
The Road Theatre Company is located at the Historic Lankershim Arts Center, 5108 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood.
Ticket prices: $24 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Pay-What-You-Want on Thursdays. Senior, Student and 3-A discounts available.
Reservations online at www.RoadTheatre.org or by phone at 866 811-4111.