Paul Benson
Reporter
Opening Thursday night, September 27th, is Parkland Theater’s latest production, “The Servant of Two Masters.” The play will be performed in Parkland Theater’s second stage, and is described as “a modern mash-up between traditional Italian commedia [dell’arte] and modern day sit-coms, this new version of Goldoni’s classic pits the madcap servant Truffaldino against masters, mistresses, lovers, lawyers and twenty-seven plates of fast food. Imagine a Bob Hope comedy written by Monty Python and performed with likes of Chaplin or Keaton.” according to the Theater’s website.
“The Servant of Two Masters” is a translation of an Italian commedia dell’arte, written in 1746. This updated version of the script is set in the 1950s and was translated by Jeffrey Hatcher and Paolo Emilio Landi. Michael O’Brien is directing the cast of campus and community actors. The cast includes Matthew Harper, Gabrielle Smith, Jake Smith, Zoë Dunn, Emaline Johnson, Parker Evans, Neil Ryan, Dave Heckman, Jarrod Finn, Melissa Goldman, Maya Hammond, Thom Billam, and Lindsay Wisniewski. According to Michael O’Brien, even with the translated version of the script the cast has had to re-word the translation, because it was too archaic and Shakespearean for the 1950’s setting.
When asked more about the setting of the play O’Brien said, “we’re trying to turn this place into a live television shoot, for a 1952’s I love Lucy style sitcom.” O’Brien’s described the cast as fantastic, marvelous, beautiful, brilliant, and stellar. “We’ve had a very very short rehearsal period and they have been amazing at getting lines memorized and the blocking down. They very quickly got to a point where they could play with the script. They didn’t need book in hand, they didn’t need to remember blocking, it got to a point very quickly where they could improvise around it and enjoy it. They’ve been fantastic!” O’Brien said. The director added that although there were less rehearsals than usual because it’s the first play of the season and the timing of the semester, that the actors have done an outstanding job at memorizing and adapting the script.
Audience members can expect the cast to really steal the show and bring their characters to life on the stage. The main character, Dino Truffel, is starving for food and an eccentric that puts himself in the situation of serving two masters. While at first serving both masters seems beneficial in providing him more food, he soon finds out what a confusing mess of mistakes his decision leads to. A memorable set, most notably the symmetrical diner, where both masters are seen eating in one scene, will serve as the backdrop for the play. Dino Truffel is rushing from one side of the set to the other trying to serve both masters, while making sure they don’t figure out one another, and also trying to satisfy his own hunger. A good majority of the cast stated that the pool scene was their favorite part in the play.
While tickets for Thursday’s opening night show are already sold out, those interested in watching this reimagined classic come to life on stage can check out the other showings until October 7th. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 PM, and 3:00pm on Sundays. Ticket prices are $15 for an Adult, $13 for students and seniors, $9 for kids 12 and under, and $11 for groups of 20 or more. For more information on this play and Parkland theater contact Theatre@parkland.edu.
