By Ron Levitt
Florida Media News
ENV Magazine
BOCA RATON, FL — Several items one ought to know about Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll/Hyde Play currently on the boards at the Caldwell Theatre in Boca Raton.
1. It is a spoof, meant to be silly, comical and tongue-in-cheek.
2. Artistic Director Clive Cholerton readily admits he has altered the original script to delete some X-rated, four-letter words which were in earlier productions in San Francisco and elsewhere. That makes it more family-friendly – sort of a G rated look at good and evil. Yes, you can bring the kids!
3. True to its original comic intent, some of the roles are played in drag – with no other reason except to provide a few extra laughs, mostly at the expense of several veteran actors who must play off lines from the voice of a pint-sized actress who looks 12 but in real life is a college grad and steals a few scenes along the way.
Now, with that explanation, our thoughts can revert to reviewing this unusual bit of theatre.
Years ago a college professor warned me to go easy on superlatives in describing an actor, yet “zaniest” and “ most outlandish” come to mind when looking for words to illustrate the clownish, droll, laugh-provoking portrayal of that nutty doctor in the Caldwell’ s newest production , “Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll and Hyde Play.”
Under the direction of Cholerton, Caldwell has once again gives its audience a special fun-filled evening — this time with a farce headed by the brilliant Tom Wahl. Wahl, who makes Dr. Jekyll’s notorious strangling, potion-boiling medical man one of the most rib-tickling performances one can remember, is filled with physical comedy skills. His every movement brings on a snicker and then a loud laugh. He obviously got his timing tuned to perfection during his national touring of another ‘murderous” play, Sheer Madness. But, in this two hour, non-stop production, Wahl plays Jekyll/Hyde with perfection as he strangles a puppy, a cousin, his girlfriend and gives the most horrific cut of all – popping a child’s balloon!
It’s no use my trying to tell you Robert Louis Stevenson’s yarn about this doctor and his evil potion. You know the story well. But this time, the play’s author –Lauren Wilson – plays the story as a ridiculous charade of the 19TH Century novel.
Yes, Wahl – sounding like Lon Chaney on steroids – will be long remembered after leaving Cholertons’ wild production of good and evil, but he is only one reason to see this production.
The entire cast must have taken “silly drinks” as it comes from behind the curtain. There are a number of zany characters, including John Felix playing Lady Throckmortonshire in drag, sounding a lot like Tallulah Bankhead on a binge. Also delightful is the multi-talented Angie Radosh, as the doctor’s mother, scene-stealer Tifffany-Leigh Moskow doing double duty as the good twin/evil twin (reminiscent of The Bad Seed’s Patty McCormick) — a small in stature, large in talent character, and veteran stars Erin Joy Schmidt, Laura Turnbull and Wynn Harmon. And then there are Amy Elane Anderson and Lindsey Foregey making their Caldwell premieres. The entire cast is in-synch mode to make you chuckle.
Caldwell’s brilliant scenic designer Tim Bennett creates a slide-in laboratory, a luxurious drawing room, and a floating dining room which moves the actors from under the table to seating (well, not really), and he joins Sean Lawrence with sound creations, lighting by John D. Hall (on loan from the Miami Ballet) and costumes run amuck by the imaginative Albert Arroyo. You will exit the theatre wondering how Arroyo ever thought up the colorful and bizarre costumes, especially the gowns and hats worn by Felix. Perhaps he took a sip of Dr. Jekyll’s potion!
The best way to describe this entire production: over the top buffoonery.
Call 561-241-7432 for ticket- appointment with the doctor. He’s available until February 7th