Laughter and Canapes: Burbage’s School for Lies is a Fabulous Farce

“One ought to look a good deal at oneself before thinking of condemning others.” ~ Moliere

There are few things better in the theater than a company that knows which strengths to put forth and when to call upon them.

Burbage Theatre Company has just moved into a brand new space at 59 Blackstone Avenue in Pawtucket, not far from their last venue, and they’ve put together the perfect production to kick off their ninth season in this stunning new location.

If you want to hear more about the theater, check back soon for a feature on BTC’s new space, but for now, let’s talk about School for Lies. Based on Moliere’s The Misanthrope and adapted by the Modern King of Clever, David Ives, it’s a delicious cocktail of an evening that satisfies the mind and busts the gut.

The Misanthrope was first performed in 1666 by the King’s Players in Paris, and is still one of Moliere’s most produced works today. David Ives was born nearly 300 years later, and became known for being a sophisticated playwright who was equally comfortable writing for blue collar philosophers or flies or Trotsky.

His adaptations include A Flea in Her Ear, The Heir Apparent and Pierre Corneille’s The Liar, which had a stellar production at the William Hall Library in Cranston done by none other than Burbage itself — and it’s a joy to see them return to another classic through the zany lens of Ives. If you saw their production of his famous All in the Timing, you know what delight they take in bringing his distinct worldview to the stage. Like his adaptations, this version of School for Lies ends up being a terrific marriage of artists. Ives’ take on The Misanthrope opened in 2011 at Classic Stage in New York City, and it’s making its Rhode Island premiere with all its dizzy delight fully intact.

Director Jeff Church knows how to get the most out of a play that could dissipate into intellectual chitchat for two hours. He finds every physical opportunity he can, and his fine ensemble of actors is more than up to the challenge. A show like this lives and dies on pacing and clarity, and both are in top form with each character getting their own moment to shine before we reach the happily ever after.

When you walk into the theater, you’re greeted by an absolutely stunning set designed by Andrew Iacovelli, who also plays the dual roles of Dubois and Basque. Iacovelli manages to do more with subtle facial tics than most performers can do with monologues, and his embattled butler is a welcome sight throughout the show. He’s also the bearer of canapes that continually wind up on the floor, although Ives manages to make even the most repetitious of gags seem slightly different each time they’re employed.
The lights, by Jessica Winward, and the costume design by Winward and Church, are equally as impressive as the set, and it signals to audiences that Burbage has indeed solidified itself as a company with a keen eye for production value.

The cast is a mix of company regulars and dashing debuts, led by James Lucey as Frank (pun intended), the cantankerous cynic who has no trouble pointing out the worst in people, including himself. Lucey is perfectly cast in the role, and he deftly handles the gymnastic language given to him, while still carefully unfolding Frank’s thawing out as he finds himself falling for Celimene, played in a star-making turn by Catia.

Until we first meet Celimene, we’re mostly in the company of men batting bon mots back and forth at each other, which, while entertaining, starts to show the classical cracks of the story. These days, it’s difficult to keep an audience’s attention with characters demonstrating how witty they are, but before the cracks turn into creaks, the ladies enter, and things really start to pop.

Catia as Celimene adds just the right amount of sarcasm to match Lucey’s Frank while still being visibly taken in by him. These two characters harken back to the iconic chemistry provided by some of Shakespeare’s greatest lovers (Beatrice and Benedick come to mind), and when they go toe-to-toe, the sparks really fly.

The supporting cast is made up of a veritable who’s who of showstoppers, including Valerie Westgate in a role I’ve never seen her play before — a dour and sour widow prude who faces off against Catia in a showdown straight out of Paris Is Burning, and in this case, I really do mean Paris. I can’t remember if Westgate’s ever played the villain before, but after this, I hope she does it more often. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

Frank’s friend Philinte is played with affability and agility by Victor Neto. He provides a likeable contrast to Lucey’s Frank. Philinte lusts after Eliante, played by Gabrielle McCauley, who is an absolute joy to watch onstage. When Eliante decides to take seduction into her own hands, she attempts to ravage Frank with farcical acrobatics and hilarious results.
As Acaste, Matthew Fagan makes a one-note character pop with an unabashed interest in his own reflection. The character and his speech impediment bear a striking resemblance to Camille in A Flea in Her Ear, but that’s just one of the clever Easter eggs that Ives makes the most of throughout the play.

Vince Petronio’s foppish Oronte succeeds in acting with a prosthetic nose that grows increasingly phallic the more one looks at it (or tries not to look at it) and his reactions to Frank’s jibes are uproarious, as are those coming from Richard Noble’s Clitander. Noble’s breakdown in Act Two is another highlight in an evening chock full of them. At one point, it would seem as though the cast is merely handing off the chance to knock the wind out of the audience in the best way possible, and they just keep begging for more.

Adapting Moliere is no small feat, and at times, the language gets a little too coarse for the style. While there’s nothing wrong with bathroom humor and sexualized suggestion, it’s a fine balance between a grin and a groan. That being said, when you’ve got a laugh on every line, they can’t all be winners, and sometimes the misses have the odd effect of adding some texture to the festivities, if not simply a chance for the audience to catch their breath.

While rhyming couplets and repartee certainly aren’t for everyone, if you find yourself wanting a respite from some of the heavier theatrical offerings happening around the state right now, I don’t know how you could go wrong with School for Lies. Church and company have created a winsome experience from top-to-bottom, including pronunciations of the character’s names in the program, warnings about projectile hors d’oeuvres, and a twist at the very end of the show that’s too good to be spoiled, but just might prove that even the oldest story can be taught a few new tricks, especially if Burbage and Ives are the teacher.

Burbage Theatre Company presents The School For Lies by David Ives through Oct 20. 59 Blackstone Ave, Pawtucket. For tickets and more info, call  401-484-0355 or visit burbagetheatre.org.