PERMISSIVE SOCIETY: The cast of Miners Alley Playhouse's silly yet cerebral production of Habeas Corpus includes, left to right standing: Deborah Persoff, Jon Diack, Todd Sorensen, David Blumenstock, Kestrel Burley, Bethany Lillis, Adam Perkes, Nathan Bock, Verl Hite, Lindsey Pierce, and reclining, Theresa Reid. Photo credit: Richard H. Pegg.
A philosophical sex farce? No way! A comedy that is both cerebral and saucy? Impossible! Meditations on mortality mixed with ribald revelry? Unthinkable! Alan Bennett's Habeas Corpus achieves the distinction of being both bawdy AND brainy, and Miners Alley Playhouse's bold and brilliant production, directed with vision and precision by Richard Pegg, is frantic fun that satisfies on every level.
The play is set in Swingin' Sixties England, when "liberated" adults attempted to leave moral constraints behind but lacked the imagination to stray far from fumbling bourgeois naughtiness. This is, after all, the "Austin Powers" era. A married doctor (Verl Hite) lusts after a well-endowed "bird" in go-go boots (Bethany Lillis) resisting the inevitable libidinous decline that comes with middle age. Embarrassingly, his nerdy, hypochondriac son (Adam Perkes) is more successful in the seduction department. His neglected wife (Lindsey Pierce) likewise has a wandering eye, setting her sights on her husband's diminutive colleague and nemesis (Jon Diack). Meanwhile, his flat-chested, spinster sister-in-law (Kestrel Burkey) orders an "appliance" to increase her bust size, which comes with a quality control expert, who ends up professionally groping several of the women until he finds the right one (or two).
A virginal vicar (Nathan Bock) pines for the spinster, an old-school gold digger (Deborah Persoff) finds a lost lover, and a perpetually depressed patient (David Blumenstock) tries unsuccessfully to end his miserable life, while a remarkably astute maid (Theresa Reid) remains above it all, providing perky perspective and amusing commentary throughout.
Unlike most "door slamming" sex farces, Habeas Corpus goes way beyond the fringe in two other directions. On the one hand, the set, staging and performances are highly stylized, so that none of the carrying on ever feels real. A respected physician converses with a hand puppet, then later spouts philosophical musings while roller skating across the stage. Any number of characters recite rhymed couplets in the manner of Moliere. This effectively defuses the inflammatory themes of infidelity, promiscuity, unwed pregnancy, etc., but also undermines any possibility of romance, tenderness or real emotion. The longing for intimacy is mostly hormonal, flesh craving flesh. How appropriate that "Flight of the Bumblebee" is the show's theme song.
Far more disturbing than all the skirt chasing, is how both physicians compartmentalize their professional detachment while lustily leering at patients. And how interesting it is that a betrayal of professional ethics is a more egregious sin than adultery.
On the other hand, the specter of death hangs over the entire play, coldly grinning at the frantic actions people suffer to make contact and find some warmth before the grave's chill rises up to claim them. How ironic that war and the prospect of violent death is celebrated as an aphrodisiac. The play doesn't shy away from loneliness, sadness and despair, even if these themes are treated lightly. Still, an unhappy man attempting suicide simply isn't funny, even if he has lost his pants and is wearing colorful boxers. But what a profound, "sad clown" image!
As the complications mount and desperation sets in, the sassy maid reminds us that lust and love, morals and marriage are all ultimately absurd concepts, so it's perfectly all right to laugh as much as we'd like. And we do.
The cast is superb, but this is high concept comedy, and so top honors go to the playwright and director. Personally, I don't condone any of the behavior, nor the ideas presented, because I do believe that character matters, that people are infinitely precious, and that life is sacred and eternal. But Habeas Corpus certainly is a pretty poison, a thrilling and thoughtful Valentine's Day treat.
Habeas Corpus performs at Miners Alley Playhouse in Golden, Fridays-Sundays through February 28, 2010. For tickets and information, call 303-935-3044 or visit www.minersalley.com.
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