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A Flea in Her Ear
By George Feydeau
In a new version by David Ives
Directed by Gary Griffin
At Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Navy Pier
Chicago, IL
Call 312- 595-5600, tickets $48 - $65
Tuesdays at 7:30 PM
Wednesdays at 1 & 7:30 PM
Thursdays at 7:30 PM
Fridays at 8 PM
Saturdays at 4 & 8:30 PM
Sundays at 3 & 7 PM
Running time 2hrs 30 min with 2 intermissions
Through April 23, 2006
Laughs aplenty in classic French farce
Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Gary Griffin returns to Chicago with a new, updated version of George Feydeau’s 1907 French farce, A Flea in Her Ear by David Ives. This show is a hoot!
Director Griffin uses Ives’ updated script, a gigantic impressive three-story hotel set and the basic multi-doored Paris home (set design by Daniel Ostling) to deliciously present the manic, door-slamming, frantically chasing peculiar characters in a series of misunderstandings, false identities resulting in ridiculous encounters and events in a frenzied paced multi-layered plot that garners laughs upon laughs.
This excellent farce works as a modern comedy that features a rich assortment of characters whose physicality, expert comedic talent, rich acting and split-second timing with high energy to navigating the large set (especially the act two Frisky Puss Hotel set) that delivers a hilarious evening of classic comedy.
Featuring a tremendous cast of classical trained actors, A Flea in Her Ear has it all. From Rick Boynton’s show-stealing performance as the mumble-mouthed Camile to Ora Jones’ commanding Lucienne to Kevin Gudahl’s horny doctor to Timothy Edward Kane’s over-the-top Romain, the list of zany characters caught up in the 47 plot points propels this nifty farce.
Victor Chandebise (Rick Hall) is the impotent husband of Linda Hart’s Raymonde who suspects Victor is having an affair behind her back. With the help of Ora Jones’ Luceinne, a trap is set at the seedy hotel. Bradley Mott’s Ferraillion is the concierge and former French army officer with Kathy Scambiattera’s Olympia, they run the cat-house Frisky Puss Hotel where Paris’ finest come to play. With a drunk Baptiste (Dale Benson) as the foil in the pink revolving bed in suite #5 and Poche, the bell-boy (Rick Hall), the stage is set for the wild, crazy doors to slam, clever bits and business to unfold as the jealous, crazy Spanish husband to Lucienne, Don Carlos (Anthony Crivello at his comic finest) pursues who he thinks is courting his wife at the hotel.
The three act farce is at its best in act two at the three-story, richly detailed magnificent set complete with a pink room with a revolving bed. You’d be hard pressed to see a faster paced funnier show than A Flea in her Ear. This is a smart, exquisitely performed show that showcases some of the finest actors in Chicago. It was a hoot to see players like Kevin Gudahl and Timothy Edward Kane land comedy. Rick Boynton returns to the stage to revive his Jeff Award-winning role as the speech impaired butler while Anthony Crivello and Ora Jones prove their metal on stage.
But this show belongs to the amazing Rick Hall who plays the erudite Victor and the low-class drunken bell boy Poche. Hall races from one door to another as he changes clothing and persona deftly carrying and sustaining much of the plot.
A Flea in Her Ear is a testimony to stellar direction from Gary Griffin utilizing a large scale set magnificently while getting each performer to deliver everything Ives’ script has to offer. So much energy is expended one wonders how the cast can get through eight performances per week? I love farce and this is polished, wild, in-your-face comedy that wears us out from laughing so much. Chicago Shakespeare Theater, once more, sets the standard with this brilliant show. Don’t miss it.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed March 20, 2006
Jeff Recommended
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