LOGAN – From our supposedly enlightened 21st Century perspective, Edwardian England seems culturally quite stagnant, with its stuffy sense of propriety, class-consciousness and restrictive roles for women.
But all it takes is a few minutes of watching Misalliance, the 1909 play by George Bernard Shaw, to remind us that the Edwardians were alive with heated arguments over capitalism vs. socialism, familial obligations and appropriate gender roles.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
In the skillful hands of director Leslie Brott, the Utah State University production of Misalliance is a delightful dance of ideas set against the backdrop of Shaw’s favorite theme – that women actively pursue men in the game of romance.
Of course, the play is a period piece and there are few outright belly laughs to be had. Instead, Shaw has delivered that most rare of theater experiences – a comedy that makes you think.
This USU production is chock full of strong female roles while the male performers amusing play at being aghast over hearing a little honesty expressed in their oh-so-proper presence.
Ashlynn Rober splendidly plays Hypatia Tarleton, an heiress who is dismayed at thought of being engaged to a child-like aristocrat. Her performance is convincingly schizophrenic – one minute she is the proper young Edwardian maiden and the next she’s bouncing with enthusiasm while manipulating the men in her life with spirited arguments and feminine wiles.
When fate seems to deliver the perfect mate to Hypatia out of thin air in the form of Andrew Moody as aviator Joey Percival, Ms. Rober pursues him relentlessly.
Proving once again that there’s no fool like an old fool, Jack Carter Roberts does a memorable turn as Lord Summerhays, a former secret suitor for Hypatia’s hand in marriage.
Meanwhile, Hypatia’s father – well played by Ben Quiroz – has problems of his own, including Sumner Shoell as a vengeful socialist with a gun.
Willoughby Staley is cast as Hypatia’s intended, the spoiled brat Bentley Summerhays, who get his comeuppance from the always watchable McKenna Walwyn as a Polish acrobat.
Rounding out the talented cast are Grace Garner as Mrs. Tarleton and Nicole Frederick as her son Johnny.
The set of Misalliance was designed by Kailey Linden and the superb costuming was designed by Nancy Hills.
Performances of Misalliance will continue at 7:30 p.m. on April 15 and April 19 to 22.
Misalliance is being performed in the Morgan Theatre of the Chase Fine Arts Center on the campus of Utah State University.