The Miser
Alan Blumenfeld as Moliere’s miserly Harpagon is c'est extraordinaire! A long-standing member of the Theatricum Botanicum repertory, Blumenfeld (whose impressive credits include the reoccurring role of The Nightmare Man on Heroes and this season’s oily Casca in “Julius Caesar”) revitalizes the perennial Scrooge-ish buffoon until he shines up like a new penny. Greedy, selfish and slightly paranoid, Harpagon is the kind of brute to whom we can all relate, but Blumenfeld goes a step further by making him ridiculously fallible and delightfully quirky.
Ellen Geer trumps up the laughs with visual sight gags that pop up when least expected and adds a musical score with lyrics co-adapted by Peter Alsop and performed by a straight-man pianist Lloyd Botway. The songs lifted from some of the long-winded portions of dialogue, develop into serviceable, somewhat amusing little melodic anecdotes. But the humorous bits start sounding more like trifling interruptions and the choral interludes are eventually overplayed.
Excepting this overdone aspect of the play, the rest is sheer delight and full of boisterous laughs. Blumenfeld easily helms this show with his swagger and screechy howling over his precious Mah-neee! While clutching his coffer to his chest, he keeps everyone in his household, including his piteous children Elise (Samara Frame) and Cleante (Mike Peebler) at arm’s length. He distrusts and despises everyone should they cost him as much as a franc. His frugality knows no emotion or sympathetic reasoning—even to the deficit of his children’s future happiness.
And that’s when Moliere really turns it up a notch. As Elise’s secret lover, Valere (Chad Jason Scheppner) plays Harpagon like a fiddle, and Harpagon sets to marry his son’s desire, Mariane (Willow Geer). Interjecting herself in this strange brew is Frosine (Melora Marshall) looking to get one over on Harpagon by assisting to the aid of his children in their lovers plot.
This has been a triumphant season for the splendidly versatile Marshall appearing in three of the five shows with each of her distinctive characters leaving memorable impressions. In this, she’s the perfect and sensually provocative woman of intrigue, to put it mildly. With Blumenfeld, they are pure gold. Much like last year’s “As You Like It,” Marshall’s thespian pooch, Trey the Dog, makes an adorable little cameo, even howling at the last song—everyone’s a critic—and generating plenty of resounding “Aah’s” from the packed house.
The cast is first-rate, delivering saucy wit as if served on a silver platter. Frame and Geer are resplendent as ladies trapped by circumstance. Also having an excellent season is Mike Peebler giving a standout performance with his erect posturing and demonstrative affections. Schneppner warms by the second act, and holds his own well in his livelier scenes with Blumenfeld. Mark Lewis as La Fleche is positively fetching and Ted Barton gets plenty of laughs with his duel duties as Master Jacques, the high-strung and exasperated coachman.
Money makes the world go around, but this production makes it feel like a merry-go-round. There’s not much time left before the Theatricum Botanicum season is over, and this is one play, even a miser like Harpagon wouldn’t afford to miss. Tres bien!
“The Miser”
Theatricum Botanicum
1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Topanga, CA 90290
Midway between PCH & the 101
Runs through September 27
Fri at 8pm, Sat at 4 & 8pm
Sundays at 7:30pm
PH: 310-455-3723
www.theatricum.com