School of theatre and dance presents: What the Butler Saw

By Mark Powell, contributing writer
Posted on October 4, 2007

If I told you that last night I saw a seductive psychiatrist, half naked incestuous family and a mad wife threatening to shoot her husband if he doesn’t have intercourse with her, you would probably think I was crazy.  However, if I tell students the same thing after this week is concluded, I’m sure their reply would pertain to the premier of “What the Butler Saw.”

An eager crowd pushed through the aisles of the Latimer-Shaeffer Theatre Tuesday night as the department of theatre and dance kicked off its 2007 season with a laugh riot.  From the show’s first scene to the conclusion the audience’s enjoyment and intrigue never seemed to stop.  The excitement was especially prevalent in the crowd before the show even began.

“The cast is absolutely amazing,” junior Kelly Anglim said. “I know each and every one of them and they are just incredibly talented.”  Anglim, an actoress herself, had been involved in many plays at JMU and was eager to have this specific play produced.

“It is nice to have a different variety of shows,” Anglim said. “It shows our variety as a theater department.” The eccentric humor of Joe Orton’s masterpiece certainly is not one of the ordinary performing pieces and on Tuesday night certainly turned a few heads at JMU.

Set in a rural town in England, the play revolves around Dr. Prentice, a lewd and unfaithful psychiatrist who runs into all sorts of trouble when he tries to seduce a young woman looking for a job his firm.  When Prentice’s wife walks in, all hell breaks loose as a simple problem turns into mayhem.

Right off the bat the audience was captivated by the cast members’ great stage presence.  Within the first scene the prevalence of a great chemistry between the actors struck the viewer immediately.

“We were kind of friends off stage as well,” said senior Charlie Silvano, who starred as Dr. Prentice.  “It helped with the whole [cast] bonding situation as well.”

Throughout the play, clever plot twists and mistaken identities kept the audience in stitches.  Beautiful facial expressions done by Silvano really gave the viewer a sense of what Dr. Prentice was really about and who he was as a person.  This insight into the play kept the audience involved and left them with a great experience.

Aside from the comical element of the play, freshman Christie Jackson, starring as the ill-fortuned secretary Geraldine Barclay, displayed a variety of emotions throughout the performance showing her versatility as an actor.  Her pure and innocent character was portrayed so well that, at times, the audience seemed to pity her in the world she unfortunately entered into.

Due to the terrific acting, the pace of the play never slowed.  Witty situations, great one-liners by Dr. Prentice, and beautifully written dialogue kept the audience engaged and interested the whole time.  Silvano didn’t hesitate to also give credit to the guest director, George Black, for his great methods of manipulating a cast to perform.

“He [Black] is definitely different in his styles,” Silvano said. “He gets on stage, in our face, and moves us physically.  So he is very interactive in that regard.”

In an earlier interview Black said that this play would be very suitable for JMU students because of its wild humor and he was right on the ball.  The audience never seemed to tire of the ridiculous antics of Prentice’s firm and seemed to be disappointed when the play ended.

The only disappointment of the show was the fact that the theatre was not completely sold out.  After the show, Silvano stressed the importance of an audience presence.

“It brings a whole new life to the production,” she said. “We need the audience.”

So if you are feeling troubled or stressed, my prescription is as follows: a ticket to “What the Butler Saw.”

Performances continue throughout this week in Duke Hall’s Latimer-Shaeffer Theatre at 8 p.m. each night through Saturday. Tickets will be on sale in Harrison Hall at the Masterpiece Season Ticket Window for $10 or $8 in advance or with the JAC Card.