Check Out The Rivals for a Delectable Summer Romp in the Woods

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Photo Credit: Liz Lauren

There could be worse ways to celebrate a blissful summer night than watching Richard Brimley Sheridan’s 18th century comedy of manners, The Rivels. The play is among the first shows to debut this season at the Hill Theatre at American Players Theatre in Spring Green.

The above statement may sound like a back-handed compliment, but that’s certainly not the case. The renowned APT, now in its 43rd season, had loaded this production with an all-star cast featuring many favorites of regular theatergoers. Among the Core Company cast members appearing in this show: Tracy Michelle Arnold, Kelsey Brennan, Tim Gittings, David Daniel, Milwaukee-based Brian Mani, James Ridge, Marcus Truschinski, Colleen Madden and Sarah Day. If all their theater credits were lumped together, this group of actors basically has appeared in every Wisconsin theater company over the years, not to mention many out-of-state regional theaters.

But that’s only a sliver of The Rivals entire cast, which toils supremely under the direction of Aaron Posner. Perhaps “toil” isn’t the operative word, since everyone onstage seems to be having as much fun as the audience.

It’s amazing to think that almost 30 years have passed since APT staged this frothy comedy confection. Even the character’s names are direct giveaways to the audience, such as Lydia Languish (Kelsey Brennan) and Captain Jack Absolute (Marcus Truschinski).

In every case, the (sometimes ridiculous) outfits appear to be exactly what one would expect these characters to wear (costumes by Susan E. Mickey).

Pulling off this droll endeavor is much harder than it looks, although these theatrical pros seem to toss off their witty banter with considerable aplomb. The quips fly fast and furious here, and there’s no daydreaming allowed in the audience if one wishes to mine all of the plot’s comedic gems.

True Love Stymied by an Aunt’s Rules

The plot begins with wealthy, beautiful and bored Lydia, who is miffed by her aunt’s insistence on approving Lydia’s future husband. If the aunt (Tracy Michelle Arnold as a scene-stealing Mrs. Malaprop) disproves of Lydia’s selection, she will be cut off from her fortune (Gee, don’t you hate it when this happens?)

Naturally, Lydia falls in love with an impoverished sailor, who oddly shares her ability for appreciating the finer things in life. Little does Lydia realize that her beau is actually Captain Jack Absolute in disguise. Captain Jack is the son of cantankerous Sir Anthony Absolute (David Daniel). Tired of his son’s juvenile antics, he insists on marrying off the lad.

Of course, the woman he selects for his son is none other than Lydia. Realizing this, Truschinski makes a game out of his “filial duty” to follow his father’s orders.

There’s also a multitude of other romances sizzling here. There’s one is between Julia, Lydia’s cousin (Phoebe González) and one of Captain Jack’s good friends (played by Ronald Román-Meléndez). A few other couplings are stymied by Lucy, Lydia’s maid (an impish, deceitful Colleen Madden). In order to line her own pockets, Lucy promises to deliver romantic messages to Lydia. Somehow, some never seem to make it to Lydia. These romantic shenanigans aren’t revealed until near the end of the play. They involve Bob Acres, another friend of Captain Jack (Josh Krause), and a light-stepping Irishman named Sir Lucious O’Trigger (charmingly played by the nimble James Ridge).

Fear not; there are numerous valets and maids to complicate things further. One of the best-defined of these servants is Brian Mani as Captain Jack’s butler.

The play takes place in Bath, England, mostly in the grand home of Mrs. Malaprop. True to her nature for mixing up words, Mrs. Malaprop makes statements such as “you forfeit my malevolence” (meaning munificence) and, even funnier, “he is the pineapple (pinnacle) of good breeding.”

Mrs. Malaprop Makes an Impression

For some reason, Mrs. Malaprop has caught the eye of Sir Anthony Absolute. He is no peach himself, especially when he spouts lines such as “this is a natural (bad) consequence of teaching girls to read.” He also admonishes women for pursing math beyond counting to 20. Even worse, when he promises a large estate to his son upon his betrothal, he is shocked when his son initially balks at the arrangement. “If you take a (large) estate,” he instructs his son, “you must also take the livestock” (meaning, the wife).

There’s little doubt that all the smokescreens will evaporate before the final scene. Almost everyone ends up with the “right” partner (no thanks to the scheming Lucy). Shaun Motley’s set design creates a plausible world for these characters, lovingly lit by lighting designer Michael A. Peterson. Sound design and original music is provided by André Pluess, with musical direction by Rebecca Schinker.

There is plenty of entertainment value in The Rivals, and audiences should expect many laugh-out-loud moments. The comedy can get silly at times, but director Aaron Posner manages to keep all of the juggled balls up in the air until the moment when they must plummet back to earth. At the end, nearly all of the characters seem to be wiser than in the beginning, and that is perhaps the most satisfying conclusion for which one could wish.

The Rivals opened in late June and continues through Sept. 17 in the outdoor Hill Theatre at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wis. For tickets, visit the APT website, or call the box office at (608) 588-2361.