Philip Sales, the producer “The Foreigner,” at Andrews Hall this weekend, also plays the role of a British Army bomb disposal expert in the live production. While researching the role, he was impressed with the bravery of the real people who do such courageous work.
To support the work of organizations that remove land mines and unexploded bombs from war-torn parts of the world, Sales and company added a performance to the run. On Sunday, Oct. 7, for the just-added 7:30 p.m. performance, 25 percent of the proceeds will benefit the non-profit group Roots for Peace’s “Vines not Mines” campaign.
The finale caps off a well-received run for the comedy, in which two Englishmen (one of whom refuses to speak) find themselves in a most foreign setting: rural Georgia.
“The Foreigner” plays Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 4-6, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 7 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. $18-$24. 938.4626 x1. Sonomacommunitycenter.org.
Pervious coverage:
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free… and, of course, good comedy. Welcome, then, “The Foreigner,” a witty play entering its second weekend at Andrews Hall.
The production, remounted here by CAPS Productions, had a successful run (six regional awards) at Solano Repertory Theatre last year. It travels well.
The plot finds two Englishman visiting a lodge in Georgia. One is a military man (the versatile Philip Sales, who also produced the show, helped dress the set and probably hand-printed the tickets). The other is a painfully shy young man, Charlie (James Rose).
So shy and troubled, in fact, that he refuses to talk. So, the officer claims Charlie is from an exotic country and doesn’t understand English. To the other characters, his inability to speak makes him the perfect companion: a great listener, he doesn’t interrupt, disagree or argue. And keeping a secret is no problem, either.
Meanwhile, the racist county property inspector plans to oust the owner and convert the lodge into a meeting place for the Ku Klux Klan. Alas, only in America.
“The Foreigner” plays Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 27-29, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 30 at 3 p.m. It continues with weekend shows through October 7. $18-$24. 938.4626 x1. Sonomacommunitycenter.org.
— Val Robichaud
Performance notes
Irma Kay | Special to The Sun
“The Foreigner” opened in New York’s Astor Place Theater in 1984. Last week, this very funny, carefully written comic farce opened in the Sonoma Community Center’s Andrew’s Hall. It is by far one of the best shows of the Theatre Alliance season. The production values were very high, and Carla Spindt’s direction was clean and crisp.
The cast is very good. James Rose, as Charlie Baker, a very shy proofreader, is excellent. Rose does not allow his character to drift into slapstick, buffoonery or silliness. He evidently worked out all of his movements and gestures of each of his many segments very carefully.
Barbara Norris, a fine actress, creates a well-rounded characterization of Betty Meeks, the lodge keeper who mothers her guests with vim and vigor. Janessa Mosqueda plays the role of the shrill and spoiled heiress. As her brother, Ellard, Chris Raymond is very good and very funny. Curt Thompson and Dan Clanton, as villains, and Philip Sales, as the British military man, round out the cast.
The production and stage crews worked very smoothly on this show, and the set is beautiful. If you want a delightful, fun evening at the theater, don’t miss “The Foreigner.”
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