“PERIL IN THE ALPS” OFFERS NON STOP FUN AT NORTH COAST REP.

 Run don’t walk to North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach where inhouse playwright Steven Dietz  (“Murder on the LInks”) is directing “Peril in the Alps” based in part on “Poirot Investigates” by Agatha Christie. 

Omri Schein and Valerie Larson

And who to play the Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot? Well, none other than the mustachioed, slow and  deliberately stepping Omri Schein. With him is his sidekick Captain Hastings (Valerie Larson). Both are on the verge of trying to solve a double murder. 

Think it’s easy? Not when you have mistaken identity, twin sisters of Captain Hastings wife  (Dulcinea and Bella, an acrobat gone missing from an upscale hat shop ), bumbling police, ominous messages, a missing gun, dangerous trips, a missing doctor, extortion and cups of cacao. And beware of a little Smurf like character with a long beard.

(FR) Gabbie Adner, Omri Schein, Valerie Larson 
(BR) Brian Mackey, Amanda Sitton Christopher M Williams

Armed with an excellent cast of six (Gabbie Adner, Valerie Larson, Brian Mackey, Amanda Sitton and Christopher M. Williams) all playing  over two dozen  characters with the flash of an eye. It’s almost like having your head on a swivel as the scenes change from London, to Paris to the Swiss Alps on Marty Burnett’s slick stage design with cabinets on either side holding various articles and much help from the backstage crew and clever props designers. It’s almost like being on a tilt-a-whirl ride at an Amusement park. 

Omri Schein and Valerie Larson

Brava to costume designer Elisa Benzoni for the excellent period attire and I can’t even tell you how many hats were exchanged or changed during the length of the almost 2 hour show. Peter Herman’s wigs; perfect as usual, Matthew Novotny different shades of atmosphere and sound designer Rai Fettmann gives us the eeriness needed to cause shivers. 

All in all, you will not be disappointed. in fact, you will laugh till your sides hurt.

Enjoy.

See you at the theatre.

Runs through May 18th. 7 p.m. Wednesdays  and Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays.

Where: North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach

Photo: Aaron Rumley

Tickets: $57-$69

Phone: 858-481-1055

Online: northcoastrep.org

OLD GLOBE’S BROADWAY BOUND “REGENCY GIRLS” HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES.

TO THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD OF 1810:

YOU GOT FEMALE TROUBLES? THE REGENCY GIRLS CAN FIX THEM.

YOU NEED AN ABORTION? THE REGENCY GIRLS CAN LEAD YOU TO THE RIGHT PERSON.

YOU NEED TO FIND YOUR SWEET SPOT? YUP, THE GIRLS CAN DO "(JANE FINDS HER TINGLE”)

YOU NEED TO BE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN FATE? YES. THE REGENCY GIRLS CAN HELP WITH THAT AS WELL.


THE OLD GLD GLOBE’S RECENT OFFERING, THE WORLD PREMIERE  “REGENCY GIRLS” BY JENNIFER CRITTENDEN AND GABRIELLE ALLEN; COMPOSER CURTIS MOORE AND LYRICIST AMANDA GREEN, ALL WHOSE COMEDY CREDITS RANGE FROM ‘THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL” TO “SEINFELD” COMBINE RESOURCES TO MAKE “REGENCY GIRLS”.

THE  WRITERS BEGAN WORK ON THIS PROJECT IN 2018 JUST ABOUT WHEN COVID HIT. THEN THE SUPREME COURT OVERRULED ROE V WADE IN 2022 ADDING TO THE MORE IMMEDIACY OF THIS SHOW.

QUESTION? WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE SINGLE AND ‘WITH CHILD’, MIDDLE CLASS AND IT’S 1810, NOT 2025, BUT IN THIS CLIMATE, SERIOUSLY?

AS THE STORY GOES, FOUR MIDDLE CLASS WOMEN, JANE, (KATE  ROCKWELL) ELINOR,(ISABELLE McCALLA) HER MAID DABNEY(KRYSTINA ALABADO) AND ELINOR’S BEST FRIEND PETUNIA (RYANN  REDMOND) VENTURE OUT ON A BUGGY TRIP TO DISCOVER THE WAYS OF THE WORLD, BUT MOSTLY ABOUT THEIR OWN BODIES, BOTH SEXUAL AND ANATOMICAL. (“FEMALE TROUBLE”). THE BUGGY IS  BIG ENOUGH FOR LUGGAGE AND PERSONAL ITEMS.

KRYSTINA ALABADO, KATE ROCKWELL,ISABELLE McCALLA, RYAN REDMOND

SINCE BOTH ELINOR AND DABNEY ARE PREGNANT WITHOUT BENEFIT OF MARRIAGE, THEIR GOAL IS TO MEET UP WITH MIDWIFE/ABORTIONIST MADAME RESTELL (JANINE LAMANNA) AND GET INFO ON BIRTH CONTROL.


BOTH ELINOR AND PETUNIA DRESSED AS MEN AND  ARE ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO A RAUCOUS BAR SCENE WHERE THEY DRINK AND MAKE MERRY. (“MAN THINGS”) AND THEIR OPINIONS ARE MORE VALUED THAN THEIR FEMALE COUNTERPARTS.

Isabelle McCalla

THEY MEET UP WITH SEVERAL CHARACTERS ALONG THE WAY THE MOST MEMORABLE WOULD BE GABE GIBBS WHO PLAYS BOTH MASKED BANDIT GALLOPING DICK WHO ROBS THE WOMEN OF THEIR EARTHLY GOODS AND DINGLEY, ELINOR’S PAR AMOUR. HE’S DASHING, BUT AN OAF WITH A WANDERING EYE.

DECEIT AND PRETENCE ARE A REOCCURRING THEMES RUNNING THROUGH “REGENCY GIRLS” BUT IT’S LOADED WITH OUTRAGEOUS  FUN AND KNEE SLAPPING LAUGHS.

JOSH RHODES DIRECTS AND CHOREOGRAPHS A CAST OF NINE WITH SEVEN ENSEMBLE  MEMBERS AND FOUR SWINGS AND THERE ARE NO LESS THAN TWENTY SONGS RANGING FROM “MAN THINGS” TO “WERE NEVER GOING BACK THERE AGAIN”, “LEAVE IT TO THE MEN”, (OY) AND “USEFUL” AMONG OTHERS ALL UNDER THE BATON OF MUSICAL DIRECTOR PATRICK SULKEN.


YOU WON’T SEE ANY MORE ELEGANT, GLAMOROUS OR FITTING COSTUMES ANYWHERE THAN THOSE OF DAVID I. REYNOSO’S. ALL DESIGNED FOR THE PERSONALITIES THEY REPRESENT.

ANNA LOUIZOS DESIGNED THE SETS, ADAM HONORÉ, THE LIGHTING AND JASON CRYSTAL THE SOUND.

THE PRODUCTION GOES ON FOR 2+HOURS WHICH IS A MITE TOO LONG WITH ONLY ONE INTERMISSION.

I HAD IT FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE THAT THE FIRST ACT WAS EVEN LONGER. I KNOW THE MATERIAL IS GREAT FUN, BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO LEAVE SOME OF IT ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR.

BAR ROOM SCENE

TIGHTENING IT A BIT AND KEEPING THE HILARITY GOING SHOULD BE THE GOAL.

IT’S NASTY FUN WITH NO HOLDS BARRED AND HAS ALREADY BEEN EXTENDED ONCE.

IT IS LOOKING TOWARD BROADWAY. WHO KNOWS, BUT GET YOUT TICKETS BEFORE IT CLOSES.



When:  Runs through May 11. 

7 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays
Where: Old Globe Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego
Photo: Jim Cox
Tickets: $45 and up
Phone: 619-234-5623
Online: theoldglobe.org