“The Game of Love and Chance”
Where: 1st Stage, 1524 Spring Hill Road, McLean
When: 8 p.m. Friday, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday; through Oct. 4
Info: 703-854-1856; 1ststagespringhill.org
1st Stage is straightforward about it: In a period when the economy is in the doldrums, they’ve decided to open their second season with an upbeat show, challenging their audiences to smile with “The Game of Love and Chance.”
Written by Pierre de Marivaux in 1730, “The Game of Love and Chance” is about two sets of lovers and is full of mistaken identities and playful comments on class and character. Translated and adapted by Stephen Wadsworth, director Mark Krikstan’s “Game” is transported from the 18th century to the 1930s, suggesting another era when people looked to entertainment for escape.
In view of an impending arranged marriage and not wanting to make a mistake that will last a lifetime, the would-be bride, Sylvia (Beth Rothschild) and groom, Dorante (Jacob Yeh) decide to switch places with their servants, Lisette (Nevie Brooks) and Harlequin (Lucas Beck) in order to check out their proposed mates before the match is finalized. The joke of the play is that neither Sylvia or Lisette know that Dorante and Harlequin have changed places — and vice versa. The only people who know the whole story are Sylvia’s father, Orgon (Jon Johnson) and her brother, Mario (David Winkler).
Beck is superb, playing Harlequin with outrageous flourishes in a loony, exaggerated comic style. Rothschild plays Silvia as an intelligent young woman, while Brooks is delightful as the goofy, simple Lisette. Yeh brings a refreshing openness and sincerity to this role of Dorante. Winkler is not only a fine comic actor; he also brings a marvelous musical element to this production, playing the piano and singing throughout. Johnson serves well as the paternal watchdog.
Staging this production in the 1930s works well, allowing the introduction of Cole Porter’s and the Gershwins’ breezy music. Cheryl Patton Wu’s costumes (especially Harlequin’s cardinal-red suit) imaginatively describe the characters’ assumed personalities. Krikstan’s set is an essential part of the action. Five doors and an arch allow characters to move at warp speed and spy on each other, maximizing the fun in Marivaux’s peek at the foibles of love.
