French playwright Marc Camoletti’s Boeing Boeing has landed at Attleboro Community Theatre with all the speed, chaos, and comic turbulence audiences could hope for! This 1960s classic farce features Parisian philanderer Bernard, who has Italian, German, and American fiancées, each a beautiful air hostess with frequent “layovers.” He keeps “one up, one down, and one pending” — until unexpected schedule changes cause the lothario’s trio to descend on his apartment simultaneously. Bernard must perform a juggling act in order to keep his global harem aloft. Under the direction of Jacob Fournier, this lively production embraces the play’s ludicrous absurdity while allowing its talented cast to shine.
The production successfully captures the lighthearted spirit of the era without feeling dated. Set in swinging 1960s Paris, the story follows Bernard’s entanglements, each woman blissfully unaware of the others. Bernard’s life gets bumpy and things begin to nosedive when his old pal Robert comes to stay while complications such as weather and a new, speedier Boeing jet disrupt Bernard’s carefully calibrated romance calendar.
Fournier keeps the comedy airborne and the machinery humming in this buoyant production, picking up velocity as actors run headlong into disaster. Doors slam like Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, lies unravel, and romantic schedules collide. Brisk action is essential in a farce dependent on timing and momentum, and this production rarely stalls. Characters narrowly miss each other as doors open or close at exactly the right moment, and confusion compounds at the perfect velocity.
“Boeing Boeing has been a labor of love, a show that has been over a year in the making for me, and I am so happy to finally see it come to fruition,” says Fournier. “Like any good farce, the road to opening night has been filled with surprises and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Through it all, the greatest joy has been watching these actors grow — some stepping onto a stage for the very first time, from auditions, through the table read, and finally getting the chance to truly play. One of my favorite things about directing a comedy, especially a farce, is giving actors the freedom to be actors — to experiment, let loose, and just laugh. There is nothing quite like watching a performer find the comedy and have fun.”
Farce only works when performers fully embrace the heightened reality of the story, and this ensemble commits fully. All six performers sense the rhythm of the comedy and contribute to the production’s infectious energy, deftly playing into the material, and one another.
Charles Andrew anchors the production, leading the cast with charisma, precision and nervous energy as the tightly wound Bernard. Balancing charisma with mounting anxiety, he captures both the confidence and growing panic of a man desperately trying to maintain control of an increasingly impossible situation. His pacing is spot on, especially during the more frantic sequences when Bernard attempts to maintain composure while desperately free-falling.
Portraying Bernard’s timid friend, Robert, Mario K. Sasso delivers some of the show’s strongest laughs. Initially addled by Bernard’s lifestyle, Robert gradually becomes entangled in the deception himself. Sasso’s reactions — delayed, baffled, increasingly horrified — create a perfect counterweight to Bernard’s frantic energy. His physical comedy and expressive reactions are hilarious, and his chemistry with Andrew creates a strong comedic pairing. Watching Robert evolve from bewildered visitor to reluctant co-conspirator becomes one of the production’s purest pleasures.
The trio of fiancées each bring distinctive personalities, energy and comic rhythms to the stage. Audrey Bradbury’s Gloria, the confident and fiery American air hostess, storms through scenes with a commanding presence, blowing in like a Texan dust storm of appetite and impatience. Marissa Simas gives Gabriella operatic passion that fits the farce perfectly. Every irritation lands with the rage of a fine Italian woman at full throttle. Yuliya Pokhylko’s Gretchen is wonderfully intense and delightfully unpredictable, creating several standout moments with her booming declarations and seriousness. She delivers Germanic precision with deadpan intensity that repeatedly startles the audience.
Meanwhile, the production’s secret weapon, Meeshelle Monti as Berthe — the long-suffering housekeeper tasked with cleaning up Bernard’s romantic wreckage — steals scene after scene with her sarcastic observations and discernible reactions, elevating every interaction. She unapologetically weaponizes silence, sighs, and slow burns, while her dry wit provides comedic counterbalance to the escalating madness around her.
Period set design by Melissa & Jason Lamb embraces the play’s open apartment setting with the retro charm of cocktail culture, providing ample space for physical comedy as well as the continual entrances and exits the storyline demands. Jeanne Smith’s costume choices help clearly define each character, reinforcing personalities and the national stereotypes that are playfully exaggerated.
Fans of classic comedy and fast-paced action will love this spirited production. Take Fournier’s advice, “Now put your seat back, and your tray table up, as we prepare for takeoff!” You’ll be happy you came aboard!
ACT features Boeing Boeing through June 7. For more information, visit attleborocommunitytheatre.net.