A Noise Within, the classical theatre group in Glendale, is on a roll. First they present a fresh take on Taming of the Shrew, then a flawless production of the very difficult play Ghosts by Ibsen. They are now presenting a scintillating and taut production of Jean Anouilh’s seldom-performed The Rehearsal. The play was a revelation to me. It is one of those titles you may have heard battered about in the 1960s and 1970s in university theatres. At that time it was a fairly new play, having been written in 1950. Anouilh died in 1987, but great plays last, and the current production in Glendale proves the adage.
The play is a perfect fit for A Noise Within. The set by Michael C. Smith is one of the best I have seen, merely suggesting an elegant hall in a Chateau in France. The time is the present, but the story involves a group of actors presenting a play from the 1700s by Maurivaux, The Double Inconstancy, so they are dressed in period clothes, stylishly designed by Soojin Lee.
Anouilh skillfully juxtaposes the mores of the 18th century with the modern goings-on. It seems things haven’t changed all that much. Sexual shenanigans and betrayals are evident throughout. The story involves a count, played by the remarkable Robinson Dean, who is balancing his wife and mistress only to fall in love, perhaps for the first time, with a lovely innocent, Lucile (Lenne Klingaman) — but the other members of his jaded society refuse to let him have his love because it will expose the hollowness of what lies underneath their lives.
The cast is uniformly good, and much or the credit must go to director Julia Rodriguez, who guides her cast through the ins and outs of the period changes and myriad relationships. Susan Angelo is marvelous as the Duchess, finding just the right balance between bile and sense. Jill Hill is good as the drinking mistress Hortensia, bringing some much need humor to the mix. Mitch Edmonds does a wonderful job playing Lucile’s lusting godfather.
Jeff Elliot plays the ironically named Hero, who is the villain of the piece. His is the performance that holds the play together and shows us the clever guile on top as well as the filth underneath as he sets out to cynically destroy Lucille. It is a brilliant performance because he makes you care for this despicable character without getting sentimental.
The Rehearsal runs in repertory with Taming of The Shrew and Ghosts at A Noise Within Theatre until May 24th.
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