Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

My Dad and I just saw I Hate Hamlet performed by the Celebration Theater in Lansdowne.

You might hate Hamlet, but you'll love Geoffrey Berwind as John Barrymore, who also served as the producing artistic director. In many ways, the role is perfect for him.

John Barrymore in the play describes himself as a light comedian playing a dramatic role.

And while he shines in his comedic moments, Berwind is riveting in his dramatic turns, where he demonstrates to the television actor Andrew Rally (Steve Harrison) how to portray Hamlet.

The premise is this: Andrew takes a New York apartment once occupied by John Barrymore and wins the role of Hamlet in a Central Park production, in an effort to be taken more seriously as an actor. But he soon gets cold feet and decides to back out. Enter Barrymore, stage right. His spirit takes on the task of convincing Andrew to play Hamlet, and giving him lessons in acting and wooing, as well.

The best scenes are when Berwind is on stage. His reactions to the events around him are sometimes even funnier than the lines. He justifiably gets plenty of laughs through his deft delivery of his own lines in the first act, with just a trace of a British accent that, combined with his boyish, thin face, reminds one of British comic actor Hugh Laurie.

Berwind's easy comic grace makes it all the more surprising when he handles the Shakesperean parts with equal grace. You simply can't take your eyes off him.

In addition to his acting skills, Berwind is the founder of Celebration Theater, which has produced plays for three years in the 20th Century Club on Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, not far from the Septa R3 station. As the program states, "Geoffrey's passion for live theater led him to found Celebration Theater." And that same passion makes this production a celebration.

Harrison, as Andrew Rally, has the unenviable task of playing straight man to the rest of the cast, who have great fun at his expense while he can only react. He does get one moment to shine comedically, and that's when he launches into an overblown warm-up, gleaned from an acting class, before launching into a speech by Hamlet. He stomps and grunts and makes faces as he "gets into the role" while Berwind manages to upstage him simply with a lift of the eyebrow.

Laura Harrison, Steve's wife, plays Andrew's girlfriend, Deirdre McDavey. Deirdre is a romantic at heart, a 32-year-old virgin afraid to have sex because it might not live up to her fantasies. When it comes to her own acting, Deirdre is a scenery chewer, and kudos go to Laura Harrison for her ability to get the audience laughing with her and not simply at her during those moments. It takes real skill to play a part that is simultaneously annoying and endearing.

And then there's the real estate agent, Felicia Dantine, played by Rhonda Goldstein as an over-the-top, brash New Yorker in tasteless clothes. It makes you wonder how someone like that ever managed to get a job selling real estate in such an upscale part of Manhattan. But if you're willing to accept that John Barrymore's ghost can come back and talk to a young actor, then I guess we can accept the Nanny could be selling real esate in one of the tonier sections of New York.

Michael Raimondo is the L.A. producer, Gary Peter Lefkowitz, who comes to New York to try to woo his friend back to L.A. and an atrocious (but well-paying) sitcom. He's slick but has no real appreciation for theater. If you've ever met anybody in that type of position, you'll find him believable.

Judith Skillings as Lillian Troy, Andrew's agent, doesn't have many lines but shines in one moment where she encounters the ghost of Barrymore.

The set is extremely well done, using real architectural antiques provided by local antiques dealer John Dorety. The costuming was also well done, with each character outfitted to suit their personality, including a Hamlet costume for Barrymore. The lighting design was occasionally too dim but there are a few special effects touches that work extremely well.

During intermission, I heard two theater-goers talking about the production. One of them said she couldn't follow what was happening. She thought the characters were entering too fast and she didn't know who was who or what was going on. And the woman who was sitting next to her explained very succintly what it was about. She said, "Well, it's about the conflict between art and money. Which is he going to side with?"

And then the other theater goer said, "Oh, yes. Now I understand it."

That is, of course, what the play's all about. But it's more than that. Choosing art over money is most likely why someone like Berwind is turning his considerably talents towards founding a theater company in the Philadelphia suburbs.

One would guess that Berwind probably feels much like Barrymore does in the play, that it's the art of acting that matters the most. And when you have that chance to do that for an audience, however long that may be, whatever else may happen in your career, wherever else your path may lead, that moment is what really matters.

Copyright 2003 by Alyce Wilson

Musings Index

What do you think? Share your thoughts
at Alyce's message board (left button):