These days so much of live theatre is about serious topics that it's a real pleasure every so often to enjoy a great and truly funny farce. On those days when our funny bones really need to be tickled, a London Frontier Theatre Company play is the place we invariably turn.
The recent irreverent performances of "Enchantment" by Magdalena's London Frontier Theatre Company were exactly that type of thoroughly-enjoyable live theater experience. In fact, "Funny as hell," is the ONLY way we can describe this play.
"Performing in their soon-to-be-theirs WPA Gym/Theatre (Hurray, Donna!) in Old Magdalena, a small cast of four performers managed to play dozens of parts as they took their patrons on a hilarious tongue-in-cheek tour of New Mexico history. Frankly I've never laughed any harder at any theatre performance I can remember... and we heard several other theater patrons say the same thing.
You simply haven't lived (or laughed) until you've seen Juan de Onate decked out in full Conquistador splendor ride onto the stage on a broom-stick hobby horse as he travels up the Rio Grande on his 16th century "Jornado Del Muerte". Then there was that hilarious moment when a pretty young girl rode onto the stage on a pink hobby-horse with a pistol-packing cowboy chasing behind her trying to get "his" horse back. The pretty young thespian who played that part was absolutely perfect for her role and couldn't possibly have played it any better. As you might expect she and the frustrated cowboy had the audience rolling in the aisles in seconds and the audience was soon booing the desperate cowboy and cheering the highly-indignant little girl.
The whole show was like that. I swear the audience never stopped laughing. There were literally dozens of similar moments throughout the incredibly funny performance we attended -- one of five for the play over a 2 week period.
In fact, dare we say it? This script written by LFTC's owner, producer and life-long thespian Donna Todd and often ad-libbed by her stunning cast may be the funniest thing to happen in New Mexico live theater since the Pueblo revolt of the 17th century.
What else can we say here? Sadly, the last performance of "Enchantment" is now "herstory". But this is not the first time it has been performed by the company... and we can almost GUARANTEE it won't be the last. So, if you missed this show, put it on your list for must-see performances in the future. I promise you won't be sorry you did.
Better yet, call the Theatre Company at (505) 854-2519 or email them at: londonfrontier@gilanet.com (londonfrontier@gilanet.com) and ask if they're planning an encore performance of Enchantment. If you're lucky, they may agree to do one more weekend of the funniest play we've seen in years.
One more thing... Don't forget to catch LFTC's next theatrical farce titled "A WESTERING ADVENTURE" on October 27/28/29 & November 4/5. I guarantee you'll have great fun!
For more information about London Frontier Theatre Company visit their website at: www.LondonFrontierTheatre.com (http://www.londonfrontiertheatre.com/).
Enuf said...
pengwen
07-24-2006, 09:29 AM
Yes, indeed, Enchantment! was enchanted – and we were enchanted by it. I make one small exception to your review – I don't see anything funny about the Pueblo Revolt (maybe only because that wasn't covered in the play)
With that caveat, I'll add my applause and two cents worth about the play:
. I don’t know when I’ve laughed so much in a public place as I did during the last Saturday performance of Enchantment!
Donna Todd, Magdalena’s consummate Ma’dame de Theatre, made fun of everything and everybody – including herself, – in her latest effort, a remake of the play first performed in Magdalena for OldTimers, 2002.
London Frontier Theatre’s productions just keep getting better and better – and make no mistake: The plays have always been good.
But this one – well, Donna, you and your company just outdid yourselves– again!
The original Enchantment was written for eight people – this performance had 5 including the pianist, Marcia Thornton ,and the cameo appearance by young Lilly Jones as Darling Child.
Donna played herself, , scriptwriter, director, stage manager – along with a few character parts. She is as beautiful and skilled an actor as she has always been – and you could tell she was enjoying the caricature of herself.
Newcomer Alfons Poblocki is a swoon-over natural actor and my new hero –even when he played the bad guy. He easily handled his many roles as Actor, Rider, Dinosaur, Hunter, Apache, Don Cabeza Muy Gordo, General Graball, Pioneer, Cowboy and Ambrose the Kid. Ah oh my gawd! When he finally was able to pull the cow onto the stage – I thought I would never stop laughing!
The props and costumes added to the rich witticism being minimalistic and ingenuously crafted or recycled to fit, I’m sure, the expansive budget of the operations to which Miss Donna referred. Donald Wiltshire is that creative genius. Donald also quite aptly filled all his roles – Technical director, rider, dinosaur, Anasazi, Sancho, historian, Private Partts Pioneer, Bad Guy, Old Prospector. We’ve been watching Don emerge from “back stage” to “front –n-center” for a while now. He’s a natural dramatic player and now getting more relaxed with comic roles.
In fact, the three actors –Donna, Alfons and Don – just really clicked in their performance that night. The added sparkles of live piano and comments by musician Marcia Thornton and the great performance by little Lilly Jones, just put icing in the cake.
Yum-m-m talk about cake: Donna in her famous “begging speech” after the play announced that funding has been acquired to purchase their venue – the old WPA gym and now referred to as The Theatre. We’re looking forward to some cake and celebration when all that paperwork is signed, and as they say, sealed and delivered.
Funnier than a Herd of Senators in Drag!
By Socorro Reporter
© 2006 SONewMex.com - Reprint Permission Granted
These days so much of live theatre is about serious topics that it's a real pleasure every so often to enjoy a great and truly funny farce. On those days when our funny bones really need to be tickled, a London Frontier Theatre Company play is the place we invariably turn.
The recent irreverent performances of "Enchantment" by Magdalena's London Frontier Theatre Company were exactly that type of thoroughly-enjoyable live theater experience. In fact, "Funny as hell," is the ONLY way we can describe this play.
"Performing in their soon-to-be-theirs WPA Gym/Theatre (Hurray, Donna!) in Old Magdalena, a small cast of four performers managed to play dozens of parts as they took their patrons on a hilarious tongue-in-cheek tour of New Mexico history. Frankly I've never laughed any harder at any theatre performance I can remember... and we heard several other theater patrons say the same thing.
You simply haven't lived (or laughed) until you've seen Juan de Onate decked out in full Conquistador splendor ride onto the stage on a broom-stick hobby horse as he travels up the Rio Grande on his 16th century "Jornado Del Muerte". Then there was that hilarious moment when a pretty young girl rode onto the stage on a pink hobby-horse with a pistol-packing cowboy chasing behind her trying to get "his" horse back. The pretty young thespian who played that part was absolutely perfect for her role and couldn't possibly have played it any better. As you might expect she and the frustrated cowboy had the audience rolling in the aisles in seconds and the audience was soon booing the desperate cowboy and cheering the highly-indignant little girl.
The whole show was like that. I swear the audience never stopped laughing. There were literally dozens of similar moments throughout the incredibly funny performance we attended -- one of five for the play over a 2 week period.
In fact, dare we say it? This script written by LFTC's owner, producer and life-long thespian Donna Todd and often ad-libbed by her stunning cast may be the funniest thing to happen in New Mexico live theater since the Pueblo revolt of the 17th century.
What else can we say here? Sadly, the last performance of "Enchantment" is now "herstory". But this is not the first time it has been performed by the company... and we can almost GUARANTEE it won't be the last. So, if you missed this show, put it on your list for must-see performances in the future. I promise you won't be sorry you did.
Better yet, call the Theatre Company at (505) 854-2519 or email them at: londonfrontier@gilanet.com (londonfrontier@gilanet.com) and ask if they're planning an encore performance of Enchantment. If you're lucky, they may agree to do one more weekend of the funniest play we've seen in years.
One more thing... Don't forget to catch LFTC's next theatrical farce titled "A WESTERING ADVENTURE" on October 27/28/29 & November 4/5. I guarantee you'll have great fun!
For more information about London Frontier Theatre Company visit their website at: www.LondonFrontierTheatre.com (http://www.londonfrontiertheatre.com/).
Enuf said...