THE FOREIGNER
LOCATION: Jewett Hall Theater
DATES: April 7-8 and April 28-29, 2006
DIRECTOR: Andrew Arthur
PRODUCER: Andrew Arthur and Sam J. Lewallen ’08

EarthHart Productions delivers an uneven, yet charming, performance of Larry Shue’s “The Foreigner” with a cast whose acting skills and ages vary widely. In this play, director Andrew Arthur continues his Anglophilic tradition of delivering comedies involving the British, following past productions such as “No Sex Please, We’re British” and “Whose Wife Is It Anyway?” Hidden away in Jewett Hall Theater, the play ran this past weekend and will run again April 28-29.

Co-Produced by Arthur and Sam J. Lewallen ’08, “The Foreigner” tells a comedic tale of a timid British man who enters the world of the Deep South during his stay at a fishing lodge in Georgia. Depressed about his unfaithful wife back in England, a shy and insecure Charlie (Gregory J. B. Marsh, HBS) is brought to the States by his fellow British friend “Froggy” (Justin A. Monticello ’09) in an attempt to cheer him up. The play then takes on a comical twist when Froggy, in an effort to allay Charlie’s irrational fear of social interaction with the local Southerners, tells them that Charlie is actually a foreigner who doesn’t understand a word of English.

Marsh and Michael J. Laures ’09, who plays the adorable Ellard Simms, shine in their respective character renditions and deliver the most impressive performances of the production. Marsh’s excellent physical comedy and Laures’s superb role mastery both succeed in evoking a great deal of giggling and hearty laughter from members of the audience.

However, the failure to have all cast members master their accents is rather distracting at times. For a play that hinges on the stark contrast between Brits and Southerners, it is particularly essential to have the accents be convincing. The differences between the accents of Marsh and Monticello made it difficult to believe that their characters were both British; when juxtaposed with Marsh’s successful accent, Monticello’s accent seemed to sound questionably Australian.

The set design, however, is very well-done, giving the fishing lodge a comfortable, homely feeling that holds audience interest even though it remains the only setting throughout the play.

Perhaps the most memorable aspect of “The Foreigner” is how it addresses sensitive issues, maintaining a chuckling audience amidst its somewhat politically incorrect nature. It invites its audience to ruminate over themes of tolerance, self-discovery, connection and community as it humorously plays off of the Southerner stereotype.

Despite the lack of consistency in the cast’s acting ability, the audience member will be left pleasantly surprised by the way this comedy delightfully amuses while simultaneously getting to the heart of thought-provoking matters.