‘Not Now, Darling’ stitches tangled web into funny farce
by José A. López

Published 06/16/2010 - 5:40 p.m. (image copy)

REVIEW - Scripps Ranch Theatre concludes its 31st season with “Not Now, Darling,” a bedroom farce that runs through June 27 set in a fancy London fur shop.

Erick Poppick, Danielle DeCarlo, DeNae Steele and Mark Loveless are part of the cast of “Not Now, Darling,” an adult comedy playing through June 27 at Scripps Ranch Theatre. (Photo: PROVIDED BY PAUL SAVAGE)

With its flirty, sexy fun and quick-fire wit, the play is wonderfully executed by a strong cast that doesn’t miss a comedic beat.

The action takes place inside Bodley, Bodley & Crouch, a high-end fur shop where the harried and meek partner, Arnold Crouch, is preparing the most luxurious mink in London’s West End.

Little does he know that Gilbert Bodley, who gives the store one of its names, wants to practically give the coat away to an exotic dancer, Janie, a would-be lover he’s wooing and wants to spend time with as his wife’s away on vacation.

The hitch is that she, too, is married, but Bodley has a plan, one that — as is the case with all farces — is about to go terribly and hilariously wrong.

Bodley plans to lure Janie and husband Harry McMichael into his shop and offer him the £5,000 coat for only £500. So as to not defraud the company, Bodley has withdrawn the rest of the money from his bank account, and entrusts it to the reluctant Crouch so he can close on the sale and seal the deal for his extramarital affair.
What they don’t count on is that Mr. McMichael will want to buy the coat, but not to give it to his wife, but to his secretary, Sue Lawson, the ditzy blonde that he is carrying on with.

Things quickly become complicated as Janie, who has her sights set on the fur coat and maybe a little bit more, puts her own plan in motion by covering herself in the coveted fur, stripping off her clothes and throwing them out the window of the fourth-story salon.

Though at first he’s a reluctant participant, Crouch gets knee-deep in his business partner’s “erotic intrigue,” and is soon doing his best to keep up with the twists and turns that come up, such as the return of Mrs. Bodley and the appearance of Mr. Lawson, who shows up just as his wife is scantily clad and hiding in a fur closet. Crouch assisted by Miss Tipsdale, the salon’s nebbish receptionist who appears to have a crush on the equally timid Crouch.

Like most British farces of this nature, the characters live in a world devoid of morality, at least when it comes to bedroom manners.

“I’m no exception myself,” Bodley says as he explains himself to Crouch. “Ninety-eight percent of men are born unfaithful. The other two percent are born liars.”

The cast goes a long way to make this more than just a standard tale of titillation.

Mark Loveless, a veteran of the local stage who recently directed “Murder Among Friends” for PowPAC, Poway’s Community Theatre, is perfect in his portrayal of Arnold Crouch, a role he played before for the Lamplighters Theatre.

Also strong in his portrayal is Eric Poppick, who recently directed SRT’s “Over the River and Through the Woods.” He infuses Gilbert Bodley with an air of sophistication and a charm that make him a likeable character despite his lusty machinations and philandering ways.

DeNae Steele offers a solid performance as Miss Tipsdale, who provides the only modicum of sanity in the fur shop.

Danielle DeCarlo’s Janie is headstrong and conniving in her own way, but the performance is fun to watch. Don Pugh as her husband, Harry McMichael, is an imposing figure and it gives his character an added air of authority that serves the play well.

Sunny Smith is engaging — and tremendously funny — as Sue Lawson. Her physical comedy makes her a standout in a role that, because it’s so common, could be otherwise cliché.

Jill Drexler, who is the theater’s artistic director, makes the most of her limited time on stage as Maude Bodley, and the old Mr. and Mrs. Frencham, Dave Rethoret and Kathryn Herbruck are a strong presence. Rounding out the cast are Bobby Schiefer as Charlie Lawson and Michelle Burkhart as a new fur model.

The 1967 comedy, which was written by Ray Cooney and John Chapman, is directed by Jim Caputo.
Performances of the show are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $18 for students, seniors and active military.

For reservations, call the box office at 858-578-7728. The theater is located on the campus of Alliant International University.

The theater has also announced the lineup for its 32nd season. It will include “Social Security,” an adult comedy by Andrew Bergman; “Deathtrap,” a comedic thriller by Ira Levin; “Painting Churches” a drama by Tina Howe; “Crimes of the Heart,” a dark comedy by Beth Henley; and “Rounding Third,” a comedy about Little League baseball by Richard Dresser.

For more information about the upcoming season, visit the theater’s website at www.scrippsranchtheatre.org or call the box office.