The Lady Demands Satisfaction
Reviewed by Terry Morgan
Loft Ensemble
Through September 23
An old saw states that comedy is hard; a qualifying truth might well be that farce is the hardest. It requires wit, energy, sometimes broad slapstick and, above all, exquisite timing. When everything clicks, you get a masterpiece such as Noises Off. When it doesn’t, the results can be frustrating. Performed by a fine group of actors in the new Loft Ensemble production, Arthur M. Jolly’s play, The Lady Demands Satisfaction, is funny and clever. The direction, however, is too loose to give it the vitality it needs to really shine.
In 1766 England, Trothe (Katy Laughlin) is in a fix. Her father has been murdered, and a law requires that someone defend her rights to her father’s home by the sword or she will likely be forced into a nunnery. A family friend, Lord Abernathy (Raymond Donahey), advises her to marry a great duelist, but Trothe loves the poet Osric (Jefferson Reid), who isn’t very martial. Trothe’s aunt, the great swordswoman Theodosia (Jo Ann Mendelson), arrives to try and train her to fight — but it might take the elaborate machinations of Trothe’s servants, Tilly (Sarah Nilsen) and Penelope (Latiera Harmon), to save the day.
Laughlin is delightful as the well-meaning if not especially bright Trothe, who brings silly conviction to such lines as “I love him more than any 15-year-old has loved before,” and proves amusing in her efforts to pose as a helpless female. Mendelson is admirably formidable as the confident Theodosia, and Donahey gives good mansplaining as the condescending Abernathy.
Reid is hilarious as Osric, whose high-pitched protestations of manliness are undercut by his shrieks of fear. Nilsen is great as the game Tilly, who frantically adapts to changing circumstances, while Harmon is good as the kind Penelope (although some of her dialogue was a bit difficult to understand). As the Prussian sword-master, Bree Pavey excels with the physical comedy, particularly in a fight scene in which she dexterously demonstrates front splits on a table.
Director Danielle Ozymandias gets strong work from her cast, and various scenes — such as a duel where both participants try hard to lose or one that takes place in total darkness — are inspired. Unfortunately, her pacing is too often slack when it needs to be fleet. The uncredited score — classical versions of numbers such as “Eye of the Tiger” and the “Mission: Impossible” theme — add comical panache. Jolly’s dialogue is sharp and funny, and his ability to make the show seem period-appropriate yet slyly modern is impressive.
Loft Ensemble, 13442 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks; Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.; through September 23. www.LoftEnsemble.org. Running time: approximately two hours including one intermission.
