(Posted February 20, 2006)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Want a theatrical cure for the winter blahs?

Actors Bridge Ensemble has the perfect remedy in its hilarious production of THE UNDERPANTS.

The premise is simple enough – a woman in 1910 Germany attracts attention (both desired and undesired) when her underpants fall down during a parade. Carl Sternheim's farce has been adapted by comedian/actor/writer Steve Martin to retain its classic silliness while making the dialogue palatable to a modern English-speaking audience.

There's Louise Maske (Holly Allen), the woman whose wardrobe malfunction sends her overbearing husband Theo (Matthew Carlton) into a worrisome fit over his reputation, his job as a government clerk and the couple's finances. There's a nosy neighbor, Gertrude Deuter (Rachel Agee), who wants to fulfill her fantasies through Louise.

And then there are three men who suddenly wish to rent a room offered by the Maskes: the flamboyant poet Frank Versati (Zak Risinger); the nervous barber Benjamin Cohen (Josh Childs); and the fastidious scientist Klinglehoff (Ralph Henley). Add a dashing King (Chris Scheele) to the mix, and you've got what every farce needs – enough characters to create plenty of complications.

Martin, whose writing work began with the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in the 1960s, has combined often-saucy wordplay and slapstick with satirical references to instant fame that resonate in this age of reality TV.

Allen plays the sweetness, and longing, of her character while never missing a comic beat. Carlton makes his character charming and pompous at the same time. Risinger is an over-the-top delight.

Agee's busybody is a salacious treat, while Henley plays his pedantic professor with humorous poise. Scheele may only have a cameo, but his looks and presence are certainly regal.

The first-among-equals in this fine cast is Childs, who seems to specialize in comedic roles with physical quirkiness (such as his memorable serio-comic turn in THE IDIOT for People's Branch Theatre in 2004). Think of him as Nashville's answer to Dick Van Dyke. His reaction to a sleeping potion administered by Louise is among the many riotously funny moments created by Childs in this show.

Director Don Griffiths deserves kudos for his casting, his pacing and his arrangement of stage traffic to keep the chaos in focus. Griffiths' production design includes a nifty time-and-place-specific set constructed by Stone House Scenic. Kate Foreman's costumes, including some very colorful unmentionables, are top-drawer (or in the case of this play, drawers).

This is a wonderful start to Actors Bridge Ensemble's 10th anniversary season.  THE UNDERPANTS is a tasty appetizer for what will hopefully be a rather delicious dramatic meal in 2006.

To See The Show…

THE UNDERPANTS ended its run on Feb. 25. For more information, visit www.actorsbridge.org.