Village Players’ “Run For Your Wife,” wacky belly-buster

SOMERS — Time and again I am amazed by the high quality of local talent there is in this area for community theater and “Run For Your Wife,” the current production at the Village Players, is no exception.
This madcap English farce has a seemingly mild-mannered taxi driver living two separate lives with two separate wives between the neighboring towns of Wimbledon and Staigtham.
Bigamy it is, and it has never been as funny, wild, and hysterically hilarious as it is in this show. Why it isn’t called “Run For Your Wives” though, I don’t know.
Fabulous Anthony Urillo delightfully underplays taxi driver John Smith, who somehow has managed to pull off leading his two lives relatively successfully for years.
A monkey wrench of sorts enters the system when he heroically interrupts a mugging in progress, and gets beamed on the noggin with the handbag for his efforts by the old lady he tried to rescue.
He ends up in the hospital, which throws his whole precisely-timed schedule out of whack and the wives start to worry.
Angela Taylor and Regina Erpenbeck as wife Barbara and Mary respectively, set the tone and get things rolling in a duet of sorts, when they both enter the single set, and we are asked to believe that they are actually in different apartments.
It’s a daring conceit, but once established, the audience takes that leap of faith and is duly rewarded by line after line of pithy repartee that leaves the brain somewhat addled, but highly satisfied.
Edwin R. Lewis III is amusing if a little over the top as the unemployed next door neighbor Stanley who says, “I am one of the government’s statistics. I’m temporarily unemployed, but I’m thinking of making it permanent. The hours are good.”
Ed Banas as Sgt. Porterhouse and Ron Blanchette as Sgt. Troughton both are befuddled and amusing, with Blanchette’s Troughton getting the last and best line in this terribly funny play.
There’s plenty of sexual innuendo, with jokes about bulls, cows, and 2 ½ acres of cucumbers, but it’s all in good fun and perfectly fine for all ages.
The English accents are more of an option than a rule for everyone except for the fine Tyler J. Anderson who plays Bobby, a dramatic and lovable homosexual. Although generally I am a stickler for consistent and believable accents, the cast’s eccentric hybrid variation on the theme didn’t bother me too much.
Director John K. Nelson does an excellent job of making sure this farcical festival keeps popping along, and the actors move about naturally and organically on the small but well laid out living room, with set design and décor by Franc Aguas.
Excellent too is the technical direction, light and sound design by Justin Martin, with all those telephone bells a ringing and doorbells a buzzing, that are so important to the success of this show.
If compared to music, “Run For Your Wife” is much like a finely tuned chamber orchestra piece, where the rhythm and timing, always key to successful comedy, is fast-paced and requires skilled performers.
Fortunately, this cast is well up to the task. The witty, belly-busting dialog is tear inducing, and so intelligent and sharp, inventive and clever, that it really is not to be missed.

RUN FOR YOUR WIFE

(no photos)
Three ½ stars
Theater: The Village Players, Inc.
Location: Joanne’s Café and Banquet House, 145 Main Street, Somers
Production: Written by Ray Cooney. Directed by John K. Nelson. Produced by Diane Preble. Technical direction, light and sound design by Justin Martin. Associate producer Betty Domer. Stage manager Tim Lavery. Set design and décor by Franc Aguas. Props by Sherry Samborski. Costumes by Joyce Benson. Light and sound by Ben Bugden.
Running time: 2 hours with one intermission.
Show Times: Friday and Saturday through Oct. 9. Social hour starting at 6 p.m. Dinner at 7 p.m. Show at 8 p.m. through Oct. 9.
Tickets: $35, including dinner, with cash bar. Call 860-749-0245 for reservations.
Actor ... Character
Anthony Urillo … John Smith
Edwin R. Lewis III … Stanley
Regina Erpenbeck … Mary Smith
Angela Taylor … Barbara Smith
Ed Banas … Sgt. Porterhouse
Ron Blanchette … Sgt. Troughton
Tyler J. Anderson … Bobby
John McKone … Reporter