One of the great pleasures of living in Santa Cruz is discovering just how much talent resides here. Evidence of real artistry lurks in totally unexpected places: on the walls of small shops, on the stages of cramped bars—and in small theatrical productions like Mountain Community Theater’s I Hate Hamlet, which runs through May 14 in the Ben Lomond performance hall.
Paul Rudnick’s wise and humorous script tells the story of Andrew Rally (Shane Johnson), a TV actor who moves from Los Angeles to New York for the summer to play Hamlet at Shakespeare in the Park, which prospect makes his celibate drama-groupie girlfriend Deirdre McDavey (Jessica Alder) positively swoon. When Andrew’s brassy, likeable real estate agent Felicia Dantine (Lee Ann Gray) shows him John Barrymore’s apartment, it seems to be a perfect match. Then the ghost of Barrymore (Michael La Mere) himself shows up, and now one of the greatest Hamlets the stage has ever known must coax a great performance out of a TV actor who’s not sure he wants the part in the first place.
La Mere’s performance alone is worth the price of admission. His Barrymore is witty, lascivious and vain—and impossible not to watch. He strides about the stage, roaring at this and coming on to that, and his Shakespeare, when he performs it, is beautiful. He finds a match for his power onstage in Marty Lee Jones as Gary Peter Lefkowitz, a crass yet oddly charming LA producer who’s conceived of a new show for Andrew by starting from the bottom line and working up. Rita Wadsworth as Andrew’s agent Lillian Troy, a tough little spitfire with a heart of gold, also holds her own against La Mere; she’s a refreshing sight ever time she comes stumping onstage with her cane.
Alder as the ditzy Deirdre adds some great humor (especially when doing a supremely awkward Juliet), and Gray’s Felicia turns in a strong performance with some solid laugh lines. Shane Johnson’s Andrew is a sympathetic character, a pretty face who’s been blown around by Fortune’s wind. He shows up for Act Two with considerably more stuffing. Ironically, or not, his best moments are the same as Andrew Rally’s, when he’s doing the ‘To be or not to be’ speech. He delivers a convincing narrative arc via Andrew, one of personal as well as professional growth.
Director Steve Brenner’s assembled a fine group of actors and technicians; the set is a lovely thing, especially in Act Two, when the apartment has been restored to its Barrymore-era glamour. The sound is good and the lights do exactly what they are supposed to: not call attention to themselves. No wonder, then, that last Saturday night after Rudnick’s cleverly written conclusion with its ingenious bowing trope, the small crowd in the rustic, no-frills house went wild.
I HATE HAMLET plays at Mountain Community Theater, 9370 Mill St, Ben Lomond. Fridays and Saturdays 8pm through May 14. Tickets $16-$20. www.mctshows.org.
