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The theater itself is small, but the voices of the actors in the Village Playhouse absolutely fill the room. There is no better way to start off their 40th season than with Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Gredy’s Forty Carats. Directed by Elizabeth M. Havican, Forty Carats is a comedy that follows Ann Stanley, a 40-year-old divorce who falls for Peter, a man half her age, while vacationing in Greece. When she arrives back home in New York City Peter unexpectedly arrives at her doorstep to pick her daughter up for a date. The play deals with the double standard between men and women while dating younger people.
Although there were a few missteps in the production, the actors handled it with grace. Especially the leading lady, Sam Billeck. Billeck brought Ann Stanley to life and was able to give depth to a character that most people would root against in the real world.
Hands down, the best part of Village Playhouse’s production was Jan Pogodzinski who played the grandmother, Maud Hayes. Pogodzinski had perfect comedic timing and bounced off her costars with a wit that left me giggling throughout every scene she was in. Forty Carats creates a conversation about the way society views relationships that stray from the norm.
Through Aug. 19. For tickets, call 414-207-4879 or visit villageplayhouse.org.
