[ back ]
'Hillary' is historical and hysterical
(by Herb Hammer - December 03, 2010)
THEATER, BY HERB HAMMER
'Hillary' is historical and hysterical
In a season when theater becomes a series of Christmas plays we've come to know almost by heart, it's good to see that Chagrin Valley Little Theatre has something far different in store.
"Hillary, a Modern Greek Tragedy With a (Somewhat) Happy Ending" is the overlong title of Wendy Weiner's spoof now playing at the CVLT's River Street Playhouse.
Miss Weiner's script follows the life of Hillary Clinton, mostly through the eyes of Aphrodite and Athena, two rival Greek goddesses who take up the challenge of controlling Mrs. Clinton's life.
The timing of the satire couldn't be better with Hillary now working in the White House and Bill off somewhere solving the world's problems. A look back at the Monica Lewinsky scandal is now just good for laughs.
Amy Pelleg is an outstanding Hillary. She has just the right straightforward delivery and comic timing to carry the show. She also looks a bit like the real Hillary Clinton.
From childhood dreams of being an astronaut, through her Wellesley College commencement speech, right through her successful New York Senate campaign, Miss Pelleg shows that Hillary toughness.
In order to fill in the historical parts of Miss Clinton's career, we witness her failed 1994 health-care fiasco and much of the politics of the 1990s.
Miss Weiner doesn't fail to leave out any of the characters of the Clinton scandal -- Jennifer Flowers, Ken Starr and the rest, including the comic path to the underworld through Newt Gingrich's basement.
Mark Moore is a perfect, pudgy Bill Clinton with his slight drawl and gray mop of hair. His Bill Clinton is still arguing about what is, is. He chomps on french fries and turns a picture of daughter Chelsea away during his well-known hearing. A very funny scene indeed.
We even get to meet up with Eleanor Roosevelt, played by Catherine Remick, whose quivering voice, a perfect imitation, tells Hillary what she did when Franklin strayed. Miss Remick plays several roles, even doing a remarkable turn as Monica Lewinsky.
Veteran actor Don Edelman is just right as Ken Starr.
Director Yvonne Pilarczyk has assembled an excellent cast and keeps the play close to the vest, playing it for the comedy without going overboard.
Erin Scerbak and Kacey Durbin, as Athena and Aphrodite, make a perfect pair of dueling Greek goddesses.
Funny man Mark Depompei, dressed in Greek god-like garb, plays several roles. Though Miss Weiner attempts to keep the comedy quiet, Mr. Depompei gets most of the laughs.
The centerpiece of Miss Weiner's script is Bill Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky, all the way to the stained blue dress.
Poking good fun at recent history doesn't always work, but it does here. Miss Weiner leaves nothing out yet adds a few twists and turns of her own. She's helped by the superb directing of Miss Pilarczyk, who never misses the chance to show her audience a good time.
[ back ]
