In need of light entertainment in a cool, comfortable setting? OnStage Playhouse is currently presenting a door-slamming farce, full of hilarious one-liners, innuendos and plenty of physical humor.
When Billie and Eric, a pair of inept police officers, set up a sting operation to trap the crooked mayor, nothing can go wrong—until everything goes wrong. Set in a pair of matching hotel rooms, “Unnecessary Farce” is filled with doors slamming, clothes flying, and bagpipes bleating, all of which adds up to an over-the-top tale of mix-ups and mayhem that’s laugh-out-loud funny from start to finish.
The audience thoroughly enjoyed the fine-tuned ensemble of players with their entries and exits through seven different doors. Amada O’Ruairc plays the overconfident, unskilled police officer with understated comedic timing. Her fellow officer, played by Bryan Finnigan, is timid and bumbling until he gains confidence through interactions with the accountant.
Rachel Throesch plays the accountant with pent-up passion beneath her buttoned-up appearance. Greg McAfee is the Scottish henchman. Some of the sharpest humor of the play comes through his character’s hilarious antics. All the ensemble members hit their mark, with Dan Feraldo as the befuddled but friendly mayor, Jerry Young as the distraught agent and Amy Dell as the mayor’s mild-mannered wife.
Director Charles Peters, with assistant director Jenn Peters, choreograph the chaos of this farce with precision. Produced by Paul Schaeffer, the play runs until Sept. 12.
Pay-in-advance online tickets are $17 (student/senior/military) and $20 (general admission), with group rates available. Pay-at-the-door prices are $20 (student/ senior/military) and $23 (general admission). Curtain times are Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.
OnStage Playhouse is located on historic Third Avenue in downtown Chula Vista, within walking distance of many restaurants for pre- and post-show dining. Parking is readily available on nearby streets or several city lots.
Visit the website at www.onstageplayhouse.org.
