What a treat to revisit the screwball comic delights of Ben Hecht and Charles
MacArthur’s comedy classic Twentieth Century, in a production at the Lilian
Theatre coming to the end of a successful two month run. Just last September, I
saw an outstanding big theater production at ICT in Long Beach.  I am pleased to
say that director Rick Sparks’ intimate theater production at the Lilian holds its
own very well against memories of my first trip on the Twentieth Century Limited.

Entering the Lilian, the audience is greeted by authentic 1930s newsreel footage
projected on a centerstage screen. This is followed by 30s style black and white
opening titles, as if this were an actual film of the era, an impression enhanced by
the monochromatic set. In fact, one of the major plusses of this production is its
respect of and tribute to the Hollywood movie style of the Depression. The actors
in the uniformly fine ensemble have the decade’s speech patterns down pat.
Clearly the cast have done their movie homework. Adding to the period mood is
director Sparks’ beautifully chosen, perfectly coordinated, and nearly nonstop 30s
musical soundtrack which provides a backdrop to the many laugh out loud funny
scenes.  This is a Twentieth Century with a real sense of what it should look like and
how it should sound.

The plot is this: Broadway theater impresario Oscar Jaffe, coming off a major bomb
of a production of Joan of Arc must re-sign his estranged leading lady/lover Lilly
Garland, a full of herself Actress (with a capital A) just coming off her first
Hollywood triumph. Add to that an Eve Ardenesque sidekick, a pair of illicit lovers,
and a kooky religious crackpot, among others, and you’ve got a stage full of wildly
funny characters.

The script, adapted by Ken Ludwig for the 2004 Broadway production, uses a
classic screwball farce setup, with adjoining train cars, perfectly timed exits and
entrances, slamming doors, confusion, and general mayhem.  All this plays out on
DC2’s (Danny Cistone and Davis Campbell) ingeniously mobile set, tailor made for
the Lilian.

Henry Olek, as Jaffe, seems truly to have stepped out of a 30s movie, and slinky
Susan Priver (channeling a bit of Sally Kellerman) is a deliciously over the top Lilly. 
Alison Blanchard, like Priver, perfectly affects the mid-Atlantic moviespeak of the
era, and her wisecracking delivery is a delight. Gary Ballard is absolutely hilarious as
“Repent your evil ways” sanitarium escapee Matthew Clark.  The scene of his
peering in through the train compartment window (just at chin level) is inspired. 
Chris Devlin, Gregory Franklin, Eric Johnson and Shelly Kurtz all have very funny
moments (though few men in the thirties looked as buff as Devlin in his sleeveless t-
shirt, but who’s complaining). Heather Sher’s signature raspy voice and comic flair
make her adulterous mistress role a delight. Scott Asti, Stephanie Lange, and Joe
Stezar do well in smaller roles.

Special mention must be made of Navaris Darson’s performance as Jimmy the
Porter.  It was a courageous decision of Sparks not to reconceive the “Negro
Porter” role of the original play in the name of political correctness.  Darson has
dedicated his performance “to all the outstanding African-American performers
of the early 20th Century” and his respectful (and hilarious) recreation of a style of
acting that was the only one allowed by Hollywood at that time is one of the
production’s highlights.

The design team couldn’t be better—Jeremy Pivnick on lighting, Cricket Myers on
sound, and Shon LeBlanc on costumes (he did the Long Beach ones too).  Only
Priver’s too loose fitting first scene dress hits a wrong note.  The rest are LeBlanc’s
usual period-perfect treats.

The one liners come fast and furious in Twentieth Century. I don’t know how many
are from the original and how many are Ludwig’s addition but I laughed and
laughed. Two Twentieth Centuries in a year makes this theatergoer a lucky guy. 
They say good things come in threes, so I’m looking forward to another train
ride…not too long from now I hope!
Lillian Theatre, 1076 Lillian Way, Hollywood. Thu.-Sat. 8 p.m. Jun. 29-Aug. 5.
(323) 960-4441. www.twentiethcenturyplay.com.

--Steven Stanley