Review: "What The Butler Saw"

A Review

Carnival Chaos, British Style

By R. J. Donovan

Slamming doors, missing clothes, dangling strait-jackets, accusations of madness, British impropriety and Winston Churchill's privates. This is the lunacy (sexual and otherwise) of Joe Orton's "What The Butler Saw," at The Huntington Theatre through April 4.

Joe Orton had a reputation for scandalous plots that pushed the envelope of 60s British theatre. Today, a good deal of the material seems dated. But its climactic visual display of Churchill's prowess was arguably miles ahead of its time. (Let the record show that various productions through the years have varied how this final plot point has been...er, handled.)

To describe the madness in brief, Geraldine Barclay comes to the office of psychiatrist Dr. Prentice seeking employment as a secretary. The lecherous doctor schemes to seduce her. She is soon naked, but before he gets his foot in the door, so to speak, his wife walks in. Mrs. Prentice is a raging nymphomaniac who's been dallying with a bellman in the linen closet of a local hotel. The bellman, in turn, attempts to blackmail her with compromising photographs. To cover his own indiscretions, the Dr. tells the Mrs. that the naked secretary is actually an unstable patient.

When one Dr. Rance arrives from the British government to inspect the clinic, an adequate explanation of what's what and who's who seems impossible. The wide-eyed secretary is declared insane, the bellman winds up in a dress, the wife imagines she's seeing naked men at every turn, and a local policeman loses his dignity before flying in through a skylight.

As directed by Darko Tresnjak, the evening gets off to a slow start with Dr. Prentice and Miss Barclay. Things eventually kick into gear with the entrance of Mrs. Prentice. Her razor-edge personality is a welcome addition and helps to pick up the pace, but not enough. The three actors don’t appear to be running at a similar gait.

The pieces are finally pulled together and the action hits cruising speed upon the entrance of Dr. Rance ("I represent Her Majesty's Government, your immediate superiors in madness"), played with delightful precision by Paxton Whitehead (left, with Amy Van Nostrand).

Orton’s meticulous plot set-ups pay off in Act Two, which is much more consistent, churning out the laughs hard and heavy. The insanity jolts wildly out of control and Dr. Prentice is tagged a pervert of the widest proportions. He never actually gets his hands on anybody, yet is accused of everything from transvestitism to having a fetish for policemen.

While no illicit dallying is ever seen, the outrageous accusations that tumble forth with each new lie make it all funny. There is just something inherently comical about lunacy tempered by a refined English accent.

A master at comic timing, Paxton Whitehead is a delight to watch. As Dr. Rance, he is representative of British command, which Orton mocks to the hilt. Rance hasn't got a clue what’s going on, yet he passes judgment left and right, all with self-righteous autonomy. He should be the voice of reason, yet ends up the worst offender in the game of jumping to conclusions. Officially sorting out the mayhem, he needs no explanation from anyone. He just provides his own.

Tim Donoghue (far left) is the sexually exasperated Dr. Prentice, decked out in sixties plaid and cushy turtleneck.

As Miss Barclay, Susan O’Connor (left with Donoghue) is all wide-eyed indignation, first as a prospective employee, then as a nutty patient and finally impersonating the bellman in an attempt to escape the loony bin.

Amy Van Nostrand (above with Whitehead) is very funny as Mrs. Prentice, guilty of any number of sexual trysts, yet unwilling (or unable) to accept the indiscretions of her own husband.

Roderick Hill is bellman Nicholas Becket, who will service anyone for a price. And John Seidman provides yet another authority figure as police Sergeant Match, who enters as the long arm of the law but winds up out of his clothes and into a leopard dress.

Scenic Designer David P. Gordon has devised a hip sixties office suite for Dr. Prentice splashed with reds and orange, knee-deep in shag carpeting. The action races freely from the examination area to the waiting room and outdoor gardens. Orton parodies himself when he has Dr. Rance ask, “Why are there so many doors. Was this house designed by a lunatic?”

At the risk of giving away the final plot points, let’s just say that despite a slow start, “What The Butler Saw” finishes like a Greek drama with the gods descending from on high to right all wrongs, reveal all mysteries and save the deranged fools.

"What The Butler Saw" is at The Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue in Boston through April 7. For information, call 617-266-0800 or log onto www.huntingtontheatre.org.

Production photos by T. Charles Erickson

-- OnStage Boston

3/12/04

			A Review Carnival Chaos, British Style By R. J. Donovan Slamming doors, missing clothes, dangling strait-jackets, accusations of madness, British impropriety and Winston Churchill's privates. This is the lunacy (sexual and otherwise) of Joe Orton's "What The Butler Saw," at The Huntington Theatre through April 4. Joe Orton had a reputation for scandalous plots that pushed the envelope of 60s British theatre. Today, a good deal of the material seems dated. But its climactic visual display of Churchill's prowess was arguably miles ahead of its time. (Let the record show that various productions through the years have varied how this final plot point has been...er, handled.) To describe the madness in brief, Geraldine Barclay comes to the office of psychiatrist Dr. Prentice seeking employment as a secretary. The lecherous doctor schemes to seduce her. She is soon naked, but before he gets his foot in the door, so to speak, his wife walks in. Mrs. Prentice is a raging nymphomaniac who's been dallying with a bellman in the linen closet of a local hotel. The bellman, in turn, attempts to blackmail her with compromising photographs. To cover his own indiscretions, the Dr. tells the Mrs. that the naked secretary is actually an unstable patient. When one Dr. Rance arrives from the British government to inspect the clinic, an adequate explanation of what's what and who's who seems impossible. The wide-eyed secretary is declared insane, the bellman winds up in a dress, the wife imagines she's seeing naked men at every turn, and a local policeman loses his dignity before flying in through a skylight. As directed by Darko Tresnjak, the evening gets off to a slow start with Dr. Prentice and Miss Barclay. Things eventually kick into gear with the entrance of Mrs. Prentice. Her razor-edge personality is a welcome addition and helps to pick up the pace, but not enough. The three actors don’t appear to be running at a similar gait. The pieces are finally pulled together and the action hits cruising speed upon the entrance of Dr. Rance ("I represent Her Majesty's Government, your immediate superiors in madness"), played with delightful precision by Paxton Whitehead (left, with Amy Van Nostrand). Orton’s meticulous plot set-ups pay off in Act Two, which is much more consistent, churning out the laughs hard and heavy. The insanity jolts wildly out of control and Dr. Prentice is tagged a pervert of the widest proportions. He never actually gets his hands on anybody, yet is accused of everything from transvestitism to having a fetish for policemen. While no illicit dallying is ever seen, the outrageous accusations that tumble forth with each new lie make it all funny. There is just something inherently comical about lunacy tempered by a refined English accent. A master at comic timing, Paxton Whitehead is a delight to watch. As Dr. Rance, he is representative of British command, which Orton mocks to the hilt. Rance hasn't got a clue what’s going on, yet he passes judgment left and right, all with self-righteous autonomy. He should be the voice of reason, yet ends up the worst offender in the game of jumping to conclusions. Officially sorting out the mayhem, he needs no explanation from anyone. He just provides his own. Tim Donoghue (far left) is the sexually exasperated Dr. Prentice, decked out in sixties plaid and cushy turtleneck. As Miss Barclay, Susan O’Connor (left with Donoghue) is all wide-eyed indignation, first as a prospective employee, then as a nutty patient and finally impersonating the bellman in an attempt to escape the loony bin. Amy Van Nostrand (above with Whitehead) is very funny as Mrs. Prentice, guilty of any number of sexual trysts, yet unwilling (or unable) to accept the indiscretions of her own husband. Roderick Hill is bellman Nicholas Becket, who will service anyone for a price. And John Seidman provides yet another authority figure as police Sergeant Match, who enters as the long arm of the law but winds up out of his clothes and into a leopard dress. Scenic Designer David P. Gordon has devised a hip sixties office suite for Dr. Prentice splashed with reds and orange, knee-deep in shag carpeting. The action races freely from the examination area to the waiting room and outdoor gardens. Orton parodies himself when he has Dr. Rance ask, “Why are there so many doors. Was this house designed by a lunatic?” At the risk of giving away the final plot points, let’s just say that despite a slow start, “What The Butler Saw” finishes like a Greek drama with the gods descending from on high to right all wrongs, reveal all mysteries and save the deranged fools. "What The Butler Saw" is at The Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue in Boston through April 7. For information, call 617-266-0800 or log onto www.huntingtontheatre.org. Production photos by T. Charles Erickson -- OnStage Boston 3/12/04

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