The Hub Theatre of Boston has inaugurated its third season with Joe Orton's farcical black comedy "Loot." The sardonic British playwright left us early when he was murdered by a deranged lover, but his acerbic tongue still speaks through the scripts that he penned in his brief lifetime. In "Loot," he spares no one as he skewers many institutions and numerous individuals with equal glee and cleverness. He pokes at the Catholic Church, British government officials, the police, mourning rituals, marriage, fidelity, and English ambivalence toward closet bisexuality.
The plot of this play is quite convoluted, but involves a grieving widower, a much-married private nurse who has her eye on the widower as her next husband, a grown son of the widower who is hiding many things in his locked "closet," an undercover police detective, and an apprentice undertaker who is buttering his bread on both sides The resulting antics are outrageous and entertaining.
Under the direction of Daniel Bourque, the action is fast paced. Set and Prop Design are by Mark Ewart, Lighting by Evan DelGaudio, Sound by Elizabeth Havenor and Costumes by Erica Desautels.
The cast of six actors are:
- Thomas Grenon as McLeavy
- Meredith Stypinski as Fay
- C.J. David as Hal
- Kevin Paquette as Dennis
- John Geoffrion as Truscott
- Sean Cooper as Meadows
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| Marilyn Stypinski as Fay John Geoffrion as Truscott "Loot" by Joe Orton Hub Theatre Company of Boston Through April 12 |
The trio of Mr. Grenon, Mr. Geoffrion and Ms. Stypinski set a high bar. Their use of nuance and timing in delivering Orton's verbal barbs and quips are flawless and drive the action of the play briskly forward. As the devious young partners in crime and part-time loves, Mr. Paquette and Mr. David work hard and are winsome, but are a bit overshadowed by their more experienced cast members.
The overall experience of watching this play is delightful. Each year of its existence, Hub has ratcheted up their level of professionalism a notch. As the only professional theater company in the Boston area to offer each performance on a "Pay What You Can" basis, they serve an important role in the local theater ecosystem.
You have a few more opportunities to take in "Loot" this weekend. I encourage you to do so.
Enjoy!
AL
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