A frisky 'Scapin' from Menlo Players' Shakespeare Festival A frisky 'Scapin' from Menlo Players' Shakespeare Festival (June 08, 2005)

By Bryan Wiggin

Almanac Theater Critic

Non-traditional casting can be easily defended when the male lead is taken by a female as talented and pretty as Nikka Ericson. Ms. Ericson has the title role in "That Rascal Scapin," by Moliere, and she gives it vitality, color and, within the farcical limitations of the script, dimension.

Moliere's comedy of mistaken identity and lovers separated only to be united is so big-boned and obvious in its construction that today it would be classed as the broadest of situation comedy. But it's the very directness of the story telling that has enabled it to survive for more than 300 years.

The setting is Naples in the mid-1700s. With their fathers out of town, young Octavio (the delicately handsome Gabriel A. Ross) and young Leander (the more ruggedly handsome Jeff Brown) have fallen in love with inappropriate young ladies. Octavio has actually married Hyacintha (Jann Fratis, dark and exotic in her beauty), though she is penniless and of unknown parentage. Leander wants to marry Zerbinetta (Kimberly D. Wood, pale and delicate), but must ransom her from Gypsies.

When the fathers learn of these goings on, they return to Naples in a fury, determined to sever both amorous connections.

Octavio and Leander enlist the aid of Leander's valet, Scapin, well known and admired for his wiliness. Scapin tells Octavio's father, Argante (furnace-faced and blustery in James Asea), that an annulment of the marriage can be arranged by paying off the bride's brother and other relevant parties. Argante is determined to obtain a legal annulment in the courts, but Scapin persuades him that the cost of a legal wrangle will be much higher than this informal arrangement. Argante agrees -- for 200 pounds.

Scapin then tells Geronte that his his son, Leander, has been impressed by Turkish pirates and that his ransom will cost Geronte (Mark W. Jordan, who has the most natural hauteur in the cast) 500 guineas. Geronte writhes as if asked to give every drop of blood within him, but finally agrees.

Having learned of all this from Octavio's valet, Silvester (Josh Parees), Zerbinetta is so amused that she just has to tell someone, and the someone she tells is Geronte. Scapin appears doomed, but the knot untangles as we learn that Hyacintha is Geronte's daughter by a second, clandestine marriage; and Argante recognizes Zerbinetta as his own daughter who was abducted by Gypsies long ago. So all the marriage partners prove to be eminently respectable, and Scapin, albeit grudgingly, is forgiven.

Director Amy Himes generates lots of movement over the wide stage, the ensemble among her actors is fluent and swift, and the large amount of action is clear and easy to follow.

Since the story is set during Carnivale, the costumes of Pati Bristow are appropriately colorful and zippy.

But it's the performance of Nikka Ericson that made the show for me. She gives it what might be called a boyish swagger, but with the soft curve of her facial bones and that pretty red mouth, I wasn't fooled.
INFORMATION

"That Rascal Scapin," by Moliere, is being presented by the Menlo Players Guild as part of the three-play Mid-Peninsula Shakespeare Festival at Mid-Peninsula High School on Sunday, June 12, and Friday, June 24. Performances begin out of doors at 8 p.m. The evening air is cold. Bring layers for warmth. For information, call 322-3261.

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