'The Housekeeper' good for many laughs

I arrived early at the Fox Theater Wednesday night to review the play, "The Housekeeper." I wanted time to look over the program and get the background on the actors before enjoying the play. To my surprise, that didn't take long. There are only two actors and only two acts -- no scenes within the acts. My first thoughts were that the actors would have to be very good or the play would not be very interesting.

Then I noticed that Linda Davidson was the director so I knew that the actors would be very good and the play would be also. Whether Linda is behind the scenes or on the stage, any play that she has responsibility for is a joy.

The names of the rest of the crew mentioned in the playbill also gave me the assurance that this would be a delightful, professionally produced evening in the theater. The lights, sound and all props were handled so smoothly the audience was not aware that there was a need for such things to be handled.

I loved the scene when the curtains were opened. The old fashioned, yet slightly ornate, living room was perfect for creating the background for the life of Manly Carstairs. Even the pictures on the wall completed the atmosphere of past elegance.

The only flaw in the set, to me, was a place where the rug had pulled up on the audience's side. I kept being afraid that Erin McCullough, the female star, would catch her boot on the rug in one of her impulsive movements across stage. However, nothing went wrong and her boots remained on the rug.

The two stars did their roles perfectly. Since I have association with several "authors" Mike Seitz's portrayal of the reclusive Manley Carstairs was both touching and hilarious. It was touching because he made the audience feel his deep association with what he had written; yet it was obvious that he was missing much of life because of his obsession with the written words. That is what made it also hilarious. Later in the play there were some memorable scenes where Seitz's acting, along with the words on the script, set the stage for what was to come. (When you attend the play, watch for the conversation about antelope.) Erin McCullough, as the bag lady housekeeper, had the audience on her side from the first time she appeared on stage. Her portrayal of the wise, yet uneducated, woman was believable and thoroughly enjoyable.

The plot and the actors' portrayals kept reminding me of "My Fair Lady". I could almost see Mike Seitz as Professor Higgins.

One thing that made the play extremely enjoyable for me was that every word that was said was understandable and delivered clearly. Never was the last word in a sentence dropped so low that those of us with hearing losses missed a point.

Another plus of the play was the costuming. Without a word being said, the characters were revealed by their dress in each part of the play.

One character that never appeared in the play was the deceased Mother of Manley Carstairs. Her chair had a personality all its own and we felt we knew the dearly departed although she was never seen or heard.

At 8 o'clock tonight and tomorrow and at 2 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, you can share the fun I had at Wednesday's dress rehearsal.