University of Virginia Library

STAGE

Refusing To Accept The Improbable

By STEVE WELLS

There are several questions in
my mind regarding the relative
merits-or rather, demerits-of the
Albemarle Playhouse's current
production of "Irma La Douce,"
which opened last weekend. One
thing, however, I am quite certain
of: it doesn't come off.

The musical, which opened on
Broadway in 1960 and had a 524
performance run, is one of the
more ambitious undertakings in the
Playhouse's short history due to the
peculiar problems in staging which
it presents. Lawrence Raiken has
had the unenviable task of trying to
overcome these complex demands
in directing this production, and,
though I think he's on the right
track much of the time, he hasn't
been able to give "Irma La Douce"
the abstract vitality that it
desperately needs.

The questions that I have-and
the reason I hesitate to criticize Mr.
Raiken too harshly-center around
whether or not any director could
make this musical comedy work
(especially in America, for the
satirical aspect of the show is
definitely based in France and
would be most potent there). I
regret not having seen the original
production, which was directed by
England's Peter Brook, for if
anyone could bring this show to
life, Brook is the man who could do
it.

Incredulous Line

The difficulty lies in the nature
of the show's concept and its
incredulous story line.
Nestor-le-Fripe is a young law
student-innocent, amiable, and
vulnerable- who strolls into a bar
inhabited by members of the Paris
underworld and meets up with
Irma-la-Douce-saucy, childish, and
experienced in her craft, which is
that of a "poule" (if you don't
know French, I'll leave it to your
imagination).

It's love at first sight (well, what
do you expect from the French?).
Only Nestor doesn't like the idea of
Irma having so many "clients," so
he disguises himself as a wealthy
old man and becomes her sole
client. Then when Irma becomes
too attached to the old fellow,
Nestor murders him, is brought to
trial for the crime, and is sent to
Devil's Island.

Improbable Events

For the audience to accept this
improbable series of events, two
things must be achieved in
production. First, the audience has
to be led into a frame of mind
where they'll accept anything,
however unlikely, however
outlandish (Joe Orton, the late
British playwright, was a master at
this sort of thing). The director
must take an absurdist's approach
and make the material float, lift it
off the ground, entirely out of the
realm of reality. Mr. Raiken's
staging leans in this direction, but
never takes the gigantic leap into
romantic fantasy that's required
and, consequently, the show
remains earthbound.

Preposterous Situations

Secondly, because the show
revolves around Irma (even though
the role of Nestor is just as big, if
not bigger) and because it is
Nestor's fascination with Irma that
motivates all of the preposterous
situations the show confronts us
with, the actress playing Irma has
to give her a feminine magnetism, a
charisma that almost transcends
ordinary human dimensions. And
this is something that Joyce Stoner
isn't able to do. Her
characterization merely skims the
surface of Irma without ever
exploring the woman and building
on the distinct facets of her
character.

When Miss Stoner's Irma goes
upstairs with Nestor, for all we
know they're going there to play
post office. There is no spice in her
interpretation, just sugar, and, to be
perfectly honest, not much that
would distinguish this performance
from some of her previous roles at
the Playhouse.

Befuddlement

The rest of the cast fares a bit
better. Paul Ames has an appealing
naivete and a Stan Laurel-ish
befuddlement as Nestor, though he
could have been a trifle more of a
cockeyed romantic. Patrick
Stoner's portrayal of the police
inspector is a straight cartoon
caricature, yet I think if he added a
little sophistication to his approach,
he'd be right on target. Russell
Gustafson, James Earl Miller,
William Hartung, George Miller,
Chip Behrendt, and W. Simpers sing
and dance with enthusiasm as the
"Mecs," but I never was able to
believe that they were members of
the underworld.

The production, despite its
inability to congeal, does have its
occasional assets. The "Dis Done"
and "There Is Only One Paris For
That" numbers have been especially
well staged and choreographed, and
most of Marguerite Monnet's often
pleasing score is agreeably sung to
the accompaniment of an organ,
which Ed Godshall plays in
addition to his usual piano. Also,
David Gwin has given the show an
evocative and thoughtful lighting
design.

Stoners: Skimming The Surface

But the problem is more basic,
both to the production and to the
material. Maybe somebody could
make "Irma La Douce" into a
satisfying evening of theatre. Maybe
somebody could make the myriad
of obvious sex jokes seem funny
and Julian More, David Heneker,
and Monty Norman's libretto seem
imaginative. Maybe. But here they
just seem stupid.

—Ed.)