18 lagunabeachindy . com FEBRUARY 3 , 2023
Playhouse
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as its subject is also a show-biz power couple – albeit a fictional one .
Fenella Fennington ( Rudner ) and husband Jarvis Haverly ( Mike McShane ) are among the brightest lights of stage and screen . Their tempestuous marriage frequently disrupts their careers , and “ Staged ” sees them battle it out in public and divorce , only to reunite years later .
You ’ d be spot-on if the antics of Fennington and Haverly remind you of Taylor and Burton , a notoriously embattled show-biz power couple of the ’ 50s , ’ 60s and later decades .
Whether Rudner and Bergman intend to elicit this comparison is almost beside the point , because their script digs a little deeper than simply depicting the couple ’ s well-publicized battles and holding them up for ridicule . No , “ Staged ” has more on its mind than simply one-dimensional comedy .
In Laguna , three elements skillfully tread the fine line between the uproarious and the delicate , wherein characters who at first glance are caricatures struggle with insecurity and self-doubt : The script , Bergman ’ s adroit direction of it , and the quartet of actors surrounding Rudner and McShane .
“ Staged ” begins 20 years ago with a performance of “ Antony and Cleopatra ” starring Haverly and Fennington that goes awry , devolving into a spectacular on-stage row between the two high-profile stars . The next scene takes us to the present-day , as Fenella has a lunch meeting with producer Ezra Pector ( Brian Michael Jones ), whose parents were the producers whose careers were ruined by the bickering star duo .
Ezra has a brand-new , two-person play called “ Two on a Bench ,” and he wants Fennington and Haverly as his stars , calling their participation “ cosmic reparation ” for having destroyed his parents ’ careers and lives .
Of course , working together again means the two will have to put their differences aside , and that won ’ t be easy .
Can the duo co-exist after years of estrangement ? Can they share the stage again after their well-publicized Roman-era fiasco ? After all , as Jarvis notes to Fenella , “ we have years of scar tissue to get over .”
Vanity gets the better of them and they agree to co-star in “ Bench ,” but don ’ t bet that you can predict where
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Rita Rudner , Brian Lohmann and Mike McShane star in the World Premiere of “ STAGED ” at The Laguna Playhouse . Photo / Laguna Playhouse
“ Staged ” goes from there .
Bergman and Rudner ’ s script provides the two stars and their megaegos a steady stream of acid quips as they snipe back and forth . The script they ’ ve crafted delights not just in its ingenious plotting , but in a laugh-inducing style wherein one character ’ s drug rehab is referred to as “ plastic surgery of the mind .”
Yet another example : Whenever Jarvis feels cornered , he breaks into the delivery of a Shakespearean monologue – eg . the “ band of brothers ” speech from “ Henry V ” – his odd way of handling stress .
Not simply brilliant and scathingly funny , the text also abounds in ample touches of pathos and humanity .
Rudner ’ s exquisite comic timing makes her every utterance a delight , especially given the deep , husky vocal delivery she adopts for Fenella .
In lesser hands , Jarvis would have simply been a pompous buffoon , but the deft script and McShane ’ s nuanced reading of his character deliver poignance along with the laughs , especially in Jarvis ’ growing awareness of his own mortality . For all his bluster , Jarvis is riddled with self-doubt , seeking validation at every turn .
While Rudner and McShane and their larger-than-life characters are deliciously shallow and glib , and get the lion ’ s share of our attention , “ Staged ” is populated with enough colorful oddballs to tickle our fancy .
First and foremost of these is Katya ( Annie Abrams ). At first a supporting character in “ Antony and Cleopatra ,” she winds up as Jarvis ’ second wife – and mother to their now-teenage daughter .
As Jarvis ’ ex-wife number two , Katya winds up back in the star duo ’ s orbit , an awkward scenario
“ Staged ” plays for maximum comedic effect , with Abrams a first-rate straight-woman to Rudner and McShane .
Jones paints producer Ezra as a youthful , preppie-ish techie whose primary m . o . is to mollify all those around him . Don ’ t think , though , that you ’ ve got this character figured out , because “ Staged ” has a few surprises up its sleeve .
Brian Lohmann does yeoman work in four roles , including a colorful cowboy-style Broadway director , a touchy-feely New-Age hippie restaurateur and a bombastic podcaster whose handle is “ Barry Broadway .”
Not only is Lohmann a quickchange artist ; his characterizations are so distinctive and singular , you ’ d swear you were seeing four different actors .
Kelly Holden Bashar likewise skillfully essays multiple roles , notably as Gerry , the young stagehand hired to help keep “ Two on a Bench ” on course to its opening run .
The script , and Bergman ’ s direction of it , make “ Staged ” a fast-moving romp that delivers its laughs and sweetly serious moments with equal vigor . The production ’ s scenic design ( by Stephen Gifford ), lighting ( Nita Mendoza ) and costumes ( Stacey Nezda ) help keep the show moving at breakneck speed .
If you love Rudner and her work , you ’ ll want to see “ Staged ” asap . And if you ’ ve never seen her in Laguna , you won ’ t want to miss your chance to see her at her best .
Moulton Theatre , Laguna Playhouse , 606 Laguna Canyon Drive , Laguna Beach . Through February 12 . Running time ( including intermission ): 1 hour , 40 minutes . Tickets : $ 50 to $ 75 . Ticket purchase / information : 949-497- 2787 , lagunaplayhouse . org