I’m Just Wild About Harry

Reviewed by Deborah Klugman
Crown City Theatre
Through February 5
 

This latest bit of froth from Crown City Theatre is a musical adaptation of Brandon Thomas’s 1892 comedy, Charley’s Aunt. While we all need distraction these days, in this case the plot and its prime comic hook are simply too out-of-date to be interesting.

Adapted by Gary Lamb and William A. Reilly, the story concerns the efforts of two college chums, Jack (Michael J. Marchak) and Harry (David Jubala), to be alone with their lady loves in order to propose marriage. But this is 1911 when, in some circles, it was still inappropriate for young ladies to be in the company of men unchaperoned. The two youths are awaiting the arrival of Harry’s rich aunt to fill this role, but when she fails to appear they draft the services of a male friend, Babberly (Michael Mullen), to impersonate her.

Babberly does such a good job as a woman that he soon acquires suitors: Jack’s father, Frank (Ryan Thor) desperate to marry to stave off poverty; and the villain of the piece, Guido Spettigue (Kristian Steel) the uncle and guardian of the young women the lads are interested in. The ornate wig and frilly petticoats are indeed so persuasive that after a while, Babberly almost comes to believe in his own womanhood —only to be jolted back to reality when Harry’s real aunt (Michelle Holmes) arrives, accompanied by Ida (Renee Cohen) a gal Babberly has long wanted to woo.

A lot of the laughs are designed to come from Babberly’s increasingly difficult efforts to maintain his female façade. Lamb and Reilly elaborate on the scenario with an array of mostly familiar tunes: “Daisy,” “By the Light of the Silvery Moon,” “Me and My Gal” and of course “I’m Just Wild About Harry,” while director/choreographer Lisaun Whittingham complements these with lively dance.

But the efforts of a capable ensemble can’t eclipse the cultural gap between the early part of the 20th century and now, or compensate for dialogue that’s less than razor-sharp. One needs more wit or depth to sustain the single joke story line.

Crown City Theatre, 11031 Camarillo St., North Hollywood; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.; through February 5.  818-745-8527 or www.crowncitytheatre.com Running time: two hours and 10 minutes with an intermission