By the time young bride Elizabeth (Callina Anderson) climbs into bed with sleeping solicitor Tristram (Christopher Szeto-Joe) in the bedroom of The Pines, a stately fixer-upper which may be haunted, the crazy quilt plot of Alan Ayckbourn’s 1979 comedy of errors, Taking Steps, has spun into delicious delirium.
In the meantime, tycoon husband Roland (David Harlan) is comatose in the attic, an apparent suicide confirmed by Lizzie’s brother Mark (Aaron Alford) and conniving owner of the estate, Leslie (Philip Hays); while Mark’s fickle fiancee Kitty (Chaney Moore) has been unintentionally blocked in the closet from any means of escape. Everything and everyone has run amok. With its “Dear John” letter and suicide note misplaced and misunderstood by all, the plot has whizzed merrily into space.
The setting is an English countryside manor, the perfect place for a potential haunting and epic confusions, a gentle nod to Shakespeare’s magical forests. Here, though, the frantic characters run up and down stairs and passageways on one floor. The three-story house is rendered flat, one-dimensional, so when anybody climbs or descends the stairs – which they often do – they must traipse up or down on the pattern laid out on the stage floor, making little steps as they go. It’s immensely funny and breaks up any tension the play pretends to generate. While this is physical comedy enough, Ayckbourn supplies his usual theatrical flair and perfectly wacky structure that generate the comedy’s own funny business.
After three months of marriage to the much older and alcoholic Roland, young Elizabeth is stifled. She calls herself a “dancer,” but Roland admits she’s only some untalented disco gyrator. She wants out of the marriage, and with the assist from brother Mark finally makes her escape, leaving a goodbye note for Roland, which of course is only found much later to gum up the works.
Meanwhile, Roland wants to buy the rental manse – once a bordello with a ghost – from dubious owner Leslie, one of many shady family Bainbridges in the building industry in the area. Roland’s solicitor can’t make the journey so newbie Tristram is sent in his place. He knows nothing about contract law, if he knows anything at all, and constantly fumbles over himself to explain why he’s here. Lizzie’s brother Mark is attempting to win back his former financée Kitty who once jilted him at the altar. She winds up marooned in the attic. When anyone tries to leave, they barely miss each other on the staircase as they duck into the nearest room to hide.
This is all so very English comedy, you’d expect Terry Thomas or one of the Carry On nutties to appear to sort things out. But this whirligig play carries on without any outside help. The lulls are few indeed, lessened perhaps by Main Street’s director Andrew Ruthven’s propensity to allow the actors to yell at each other in times of crisis. The comedy’s over-the-top as it is; it doesn’t need to be pushed.
But the actors are in perfect sync with this silliness, especially David Harlan as alcoholic Roland. He loves his drink, be it Bloody Mary, scotch, or Black Velvet. What kind of liquor doesn’t really matter, just keep it coming. As he gets more tipsy as the comedy unfolds, Harlan portrays a great drunk, first as hail-fellow-well-met, then as he starts to slur his words or confuse them, then just sloshed as hell. He passes out with the help of a brandy and sleeping pills. With his little red nose, he’s perfect.
Szeto-Joe, as innocent abroad, sputters his legal incomprehension with precision. Hays is unctuous personified as leather-clad Leslie. Anderson is comically full of herself. With his resonant baritone, Alford plays self-delusion like a Chopin etude; and Moore exudes ’70s English bird, a Valley Girl from the Thames.
Ryan McGettigan’s linear set is neatly depicted – although perhaps a few inches of wall on the floors would more clearly define the rooms and hallways, while Macy Lyne’s costumes scream swingin’ Carnaby Street mod.
This was Ayckbourn’s 24th play, with 65 still to go (including House and Garden and My Wonderful Day). Britain’s most prolific playwright, he has been lauded with prizes from the Tony and the Olivier, to honorary doctorates, a knighthood, to an inductee in the American Theatre Hall of Fame. His work is always brimful of fun and delightful idiosyncrasies. He is one of a kind, as you’ll discover when you laugh out loud at his little comic gem.
Taking Steps continues through June 16 at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 3 p.m.Sundays at Main Street Theater, 2540 Times Boulevard. For more information, call 713=524-6706 or visit mainstreettheater.com. $35-$59.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
