By Lonnie the Theater Lady
Ray Cooney’s wildly successful, nine-year run of the British farce “Run for Your Wife” prompted him to write the sequel, “Caught in the Net, “currently running (or more accurately zooming) across South Park Theatre’s stage.
The bigamist London taxi driver John Smith (Justin Mohr) is still married to Mary (Jocelyn Hillen) and Barbara (Misty Challingsworth). After eighteen years of duplicity, things have become more complicated because John now has two children: Barbara’s son, Gavin (Owen Stillwell), and Mary’s daughter Vickie (Josie Manculich).
Gavin and Vickie meet on the internet and are amazed at how much they have in common. They’re planning to get together for tea at Vickie’s parents’ apartment. (Teenagers–tea? Yes, after all, they live in London). Understandably, John is horrified that his years’ long subterfuge will be discovered, so he schemes to prevent the teenagers from meeting by using any means possible, including enlisting his friend Stanley (Noah Kendall) to keep the teens apart.
Stanley and John spin a series of increasingly ludicrous tall tales to stop the inevitable meeting of John’s offspring. The hilarious lies create farcical situations- ringing cell phones, doorbells, people frantically knocking on locked doors, mistaken identities, not-so-dead bodies, and silly disguises.
Mohr is frenetic from the beginning of the play until the end. The physicality, energy, and volume he summons must leave him exhausted after every performance.
Hillen skillfully plays the loving wife and mother. Her range of emotions ranges from patient, loving mother to rabid, maniacal anger. She is believable in every scene.
Challingsworth’s sweet new age concern for others is delivered with warmth and sincerity.
Kendall’s Stanley is wonderfully comical. His sincere, riotous efforts to support his friend, John, highlight his comedic timing, funny facial expressions, and high energy.
Manculich and Stillwell both give natural authentic performances as the likable, polite, yet frustrated teens who want nothing more than to meet each other.
Stanley’s dad is an amusing Bob Rak who makes the very best of all his laugh lines, “dirty old man” gestures and body gyrations.
The clever set design (Robert Hockenberry) adds to the comedy. Two nearly identical apartments, side by side on the stage set the scene for two simultaneous conversations, with similar dialogue in each apartment.
Director, Gavin Calgaro orchestrates these conversations with intricate timing thus engaging the audience.
The witty dialogue in “Caught in the Net” elicits hearty laughter throughout the show. This fast paced, slapstick. high energy show builds a compelling case for monogamy! If you enjoyed “Run for your Wife” you’ll not want to miss this show!
LtTL
“Caught in the Net” runs through May 17 at South Park Theatre, at the intersection of Corrigan Dr & Brownsville Road, South Park, PA. For tickets and more information, click here.
