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A Room With A View
By E. M. Forster
Adapted by Christina Calvit
Directed by Dorothy Milne
At Lifeline Theatre
6912 N. Glenwood
Chicago, IL
Call 773-761-4477, tickets $14 - $26
Fridays at 7:30 PM
Saturdays at 4 & 8 PM
Sundays at 5:30 PM
Running time is 2 hours 30 minutes with intermission
Through December 3, 2006
Sprawling Edwardian novel rings true with passion
Lifeline Theatre’s specialty is to mount stage worthy productions of classic novels. No one does that better than Lifeline Theatre as evidenced by Christina Calvit’s smart, witty and funny adaptation of E. M. Forster’s (1979-1970) 1908, A Room with A View. This engaging drawing room comedy of manners finds eccentric characters (a Forster trade mark) struggling with the liberal Edwardian social liberalism versus the more sober Victorian values. This comic work shows the extreme prim English upper middle class propriety in all of its snobbery and stiflingly stiff rules of social order. Forster and director Dorothy Milne deftly expose the hypocrisy of the era through deliciously pompous English prudes.
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Told through the eyes of Lucy Honeychurch (the terrific, engaging Hillary Clemens), A Room With A View is a coming of age comic drama wherein Lucy struggles to find her individuality in a changing time that pits the new social Edwardian values versus the old Victorian social proprieties. Vacationing in Florence, Italy with her older cousin Charlotte (Sandy Snyder at her snobbery finest), Lucy is emerging from childhood to adulthood as she starts to experience passions and the yearning for love and romance. She meets the Socialist leaning George Emerson (Bryson Engelen) right after witnessing a murder in Florence. Is it love or infatuation for Lucy toward the outspoken improper George?
Upon returning to Surrey, England, Lucy becomes engaged to the misogynist, ultra-snob Cecil Vyse (terrific composure from Rob Kauzlaric in a rich high British accent). Cecil tries to stifle Lucy through his demanding control. He is the ultimate bore and Lucy gradually rejects his manner and lifestyle. He is an unloving self engrossed loner.
Lucy’s passions are rekindled when the Emersons (father and son) move to Surrey. With help from the outrageous spinsters and the pompous clergyman (Mark Richard, all proper and stuffy), we experience Lucy’s awakening as her romantic intrigue plays out in a series of funny events that get her to realize her passions and individuality. Love wins the day in this well acted piece that features nice work from Hillary Clemens as Lucy. She gets outstanding help from Sandy Snyder as Charlotte, from Lawrence Kern as her brother Freddy as well as Mark Richard’s Beebe and Rob Kauzlaric’s Cecil. Bryson Engelen’s George measured performance gave credibility to Lucy’s interest in him.
Dressed in exquisite period costumes by designer Elizabeth Powell Shaffer, this show looks terrific and sounds authentic with accurate high English accents. Be warned that the show isn’t for children as it has a humorous male nude scene with full frontal nudity depicting the naughty boys taking a swim in a pond.
I liked the eccentric characters and the repressed sexuality of Forster’s tale. In the hands of Dorothy Milne, A Room With A View moves along smoothly and delivers the fully developed characters completely. A few cuts couldn’t hurt as the show runs well over two hours. This is an enjoyable stage presentation of a classic light early 20th Century novel.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: October 23, 2006
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