Inspecting Carol

From: "will stackman" profwlll@yahoo.com

Subject: Quicktake - "Inspecting Carol" by Dan Sullivan and the Seattle Rep

Date: Thurs, Dec 21, 11:00 PM


Quicktake on INSPECTING CAROL

     When Dan Sullivan and the Seattle Rep created "Inspecting Carol" back before the turn of this century from a collision between an annual production of the Dickens' classic and Gogol's political farce "The Inspector General," the resulting satire had personal meaning to the company and their audience. Productions since have had varying success; the Lyric Stage ran it a few seasons ago for the holidays and got a lot of laughs but made little impact. The show's since moved onto the community theatre stage where it will no doubt last a few years longer. Zero Point's current revival, running this weekend and next at Durrell Hall is in that class, and unfortunately not near the top.

    The enthusiastic cast fills the roles unevenly, with Michael Aveller, a Theatre Coop veteran, coming closest to the mark as Wayne, the computer geek who wanders in for an audition and is mistaken for a dreaded NEA inspector. Michael Di Loreto as MJ the put-upon stage manager is also well-cast. The rest of director Emil Kreymer's motley crew are only fitfully believable and occasionally unintelligible. The show isn't helped by a sparse setting and uncoordinated costumery. Zero Point previous revivals have included "The Dinner Party" and "Moonchildren" with some of the same actors, but these experiences haven't yet generated the sense of ensemble needed for this complicated comedy. "Inspecting Carol" operates on several levels and styles of humor. The show's more of a challenge than it may first appear.

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"Inspecting Carol" by Dan Sullivan & Seattle Rep, Dec. 21 - Dec.30


Zero Point at Durrell Hall

Camb YMCA, 820 Mass. Ave, Central Sq. / www.theatremania.com
Zero Point Theatre