'The Foreigner' is an undeniable charmer at the Barn Theatre

KALAMAZOO GAZETTE
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
BY ELIZABETH CLARK

Larry Shue's comedic play "The Foreigner" flies by like farce and borrows its broad physicality but it doesn't quite nestle into the genre because it's characters are genuinely likable and the misunderstanding is an intentional bit of mischief rather than a domino-tumble of errors.

The play, which delighted a full house at its opening night at the Barn Theatre Tuesday, centers on the socially inept Charlie Baker (Joe Aiello), whose own wife finds him "shatteringly, profoundly boring." He doesn't disagree and vows to avoid socializing altogether.  The play opens with Charlie looking like Magritte's "Man in a Bowler Hat" in 3-D, his eyes adrift like a lighthouse beacon finding no ship at sea.

Since Paxil hasn't yet made its mood-altering way to Betty Meeks' fishing lodge in the segregated Georgia town of Tilghman County, GA, Charlie's pal "Froggy" LeSueur (Roy Brown) offers this zany prescription: Let's pretend you're a foreigner who doesn't speak a lick of English.

Since Charlie is seemingly clueless, his housemates take great liberties during his three-day stay in discussing their secrets, scandals and schemes within easy earshot of their houseguest.  One, it seems, may be more of an imposter than Charlie himself.   Plus, Charlie must contend with Owen Musser (Eric Parker), the walking embodiment of every redneck joke making its way across the Internet these days.  Parker brings such odious overtones to the role it's hard not to shake a fist and sneer at Musser, and the dingy mullet that hairdo stylist Garrylee McCormick has fashioned for him is a hoot and a half.

Aiello takes most of the play's continuous belly laughs in his trilingual traipse as Charlie, who winds up communicating in broken English, brilliant body language and the tongue of his unknown, exotic native land (when in truth, he hails from the Queen's England.) The gibberish tongue he and Froggy invent gives "Fifth Element" alien Lee-Lu (Milla Jovavich) and "Perfect Strangers" expatriate Ralkey (Bronson Pinchot) competition in terms of charm, and his gesticulatory dances meant to illustrate his stories steal the show.

Scott Burkell, who's such a fan favorite the Barn has to block the show for some 30 seconds of applause when he makes his first entrance, scores as many "aaws" in his impish delivery of dim-witted Ellard Simms as Aiello got guffaws.  The collective 44 summers of Barn-ing between the two shone on stage, and "Foreigner" was at its best when the two fishes-out-of-water jumped and splashed about together.

Formerly a standout among the Barn apprentices, new Equity resident Trevor Southworth must have minored in strut at Clarion University, where he recently graduated summa cum laude with his acting BFA.  His smooth-talking take on goody-goody Rev. David Marshall Lee made clear why Southworth was so regularly plucked for starring roles during his earlier years as an apprentice.  Brown seems poised to be the Southworth among this season's apprentices, and his fellow returning apprentice Lisa Marie Morabito is no slouch as debutante damsel-in-distress Catherine Simms.

Lodge-keeper Betty Meeks (an adorable Iris Lieberman in a blue wig befitting a Smurf) takes a shine to Charlie that doesn't exactly break Froggy's promise that no one will speak to him during his stay at the lodge.  Instead, she yells very slowly as though housetraining a pet.  

Maybe she is, but overall it appears Charlie's the one doing the teaching about kindness being the world's true Esperanto.  Hokey? Heck yes, but an undeniable charmer.

Barn's 'Foreigner' nothing but positive

BATTLE CREEK ENQUIRER
BY CHRISTOPHER TOWER

Augusta - There's really nothing negative to write about "The Foreigner," on stage at the Barn Theatre through August 10.

When you assemble a professional cast such as this one and add expert direction by Brendan Ragotzy, sets by Richard Haptonstall, costumes by Judy Kazy-Garey, lights by Monique R. Norman and even well-chosen properties (old magazines and maps of Georgia) by James Knox, you have a sublime production, like a hand-crafted, precision clock, all gears and springs working perfectly.

Unlike most farces, "The Foreigner" starts a little slow. But the action picks up in a hurry when Charlie (Joe Aiello) confesses to Froggy (Roy Brown) his paralyzing fear of conversation.

So, as Froggy makes introductions to Betty Meeks, (Iris Lieberman), owner of a quaint fishing lodge in Georgia, he explains that Charlie is a "foreigner," unable to speak or understand English. Betty is tickled to have a man from another country in her lodge because she wants more than anything to learn about the world outside Georgia.

At first, Charlie doesn't want to perpetrate this charade even to avoid coversation, but when he overhears a personal conversation between the Rev. David Lee (Trevor Southworth) and Catherine Sims (Lisa Marie Morabito), he assumes the role of "the foreigner" to spare himself and the soon-to-be married couple much embarrassment.

Quickly, Charlie finds that his status as a non-English speaker suits him. Catherine's brother Ellard (Scott Burkell) teaches him English, and, after harassment by the "good ole boy" Owen Musser (Eric Parker), Charlie discovers ways to torment the poor bloke. The results are hilarious.

Barn patrons know full well the comic genius of Aiello and Burkell. They do not disappoint here. In fact, it's possible that these two are getting better and better, finding new levels beyond ultimate excellence.

The same is true of the other performers.

Lieberman is a consummate professional. Eric Parker gives one of his best ever performances here. Although Roy Brown has a small role, he makes the most of it. Trevor Southworth has proven so versatile and talented that he's a featured Barn regular this summer. And Lisa Marie Morabito is finally landing the parts she deserves. Here, she shows her facility with comedy as much as with music and dance; she's a phenomenal talent.

Tickets for this one should just fly out of the box office. It's fast-paced, funny and enthralling. If you want to see what theater can be, this show sets new limits.

And your theater evening should not end with the main stage show. Try to catch the Rehearsal Shed performances after the main stage show.

This one features a tribute to Bob Hope's Hollywood Canteen and such numbers as "High Hopes" and "Mack the Knife." If you want to catch the other rising stars, like Morabito was last year, go see these musical revues. They're more than worth the time and extra money.

Christopher Tower of Richland reviews theater and teaches part-time at Kellogg Community College and Western Michigan University.

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