Steadstyle Chicago
	September 2006 Theatre Review by Joe Stead
Home Contact Me	Charley's Aunt Critical Evaluation: *** out of **** Chris Richardson (Center, Left) stars as "Charley's Aunt" at Wheaton Drama.  Photos by Steve Hansen. "Charley's Aunt," that dear old lady from Brazil, "where the nuts come from," may be over a hundred years old, but she is alive and well in the Western burbs as the 76th season opener of Wheaton Drama.  As Director Charles A. Berglund points out, this classic farce has nothing more on its mind than simple, old-fashioned amusement, and despite a few awkward performances, this community theatre chestnut generally does just that. Brandon Thomas first penned "the play that made cross-dressing respectable" in 1892, and it has been a staple of college, community and straw hat companies ever since.  The recipe for romantic hilarity is simple.  Oxford students Jack Chesney and Charley Wykeham are in need of a chaperone to oversee their romantic intentions, so they have their pal Lord Franourt Babberley doll up as Charley's rich, widowed aunt and voila!  Of course, complications arise when Jack's father and his beloved Kitty's guardian both decide to pursue the dotty "Aunt," while the real Donna Lucia d'Alvadorez makes an untimely appearance.  It all plays out in the broadest, most lighthearted fashion possible, ensuring frivolity and happy endings for all. Wheaton Drama's production has been updated from the Gay Nineties to the Roaring Twenties (an opportunity for Costumer Carole Hible to deck out the ladies in alluringly feminine flapper frocks).  But Director Berglund's "tinkering" does little harm.  All the characters are cardboard stereotypes (the foolish young lovers, the old cuckolds) and the female roles are little more than decoration.  But the Wheaton production scores where it counts the most - with a delightfully charming title performance by Chris Richardson. Not only are this young man's energy and comic timing laudable, but Richardson is one of the rare performers to take on Donna Lucia's wig and dress who is believable as a college age student (Jack Benny and Ray Bolger were both well past the eternal 39).  Richardson mugs and cavorts to his heart's content without making Babberley too fey and thus killing the joke.  Splendidly done.  Scott Neidl's simple series of archways are functional and adapt to three different settings without much fuss or frill.  It may not be the most polished or subtly acted production you will see, but Wheaton Drama gives the wacky old dame her due.    "Charley's Aunt" continues through October 8 at Wheaton Drama's Playhouse 111, located at 111 N. Hale Street in Wheaton.  The play runs 2 hours 30 minutes with two intermissions.  Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 3:00 p.m.  Tickets are $16.  For reservations call 630-260-1820 or visit www.wheatondrama.org.