Grunion Gazette By Michael David Smith
Stars Strut Stuff For MTW In Sterling "Mame" Revival

If Prohibition parties were as fun as they appear in the opening moments of "Mame," I was born about a century too late.

"Mame," the hilarious play Musical Theatre West will perform through Nov. 17 at the Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts, introduces us to a 10-year-old orphan named Patrick and his Aunt Mame, the woman who takes him in to her 1928 New York apartment and shapes the next 18 years of his life.

Mame loves lavish parties, and her home is usually filled with people who seem to enjoy drinking and carousing almost as much as Mame does. But when the stock market crashes, Mame's parties cease. (We can't have too much sympathy for her, though; she can still afford a nice New York apartment and the services of a butler.)

Carol Lawrence stars as Mame Dennis in a performance that shows agile comedic timing and even more agile dance moves. Lawrence, a Broadway veteran who turned 70 in September, got an enthusiastic ovation when she cartwheeled across the stage during one song-and-dance number.

Jerry Herman, who attended Musical Theatre West's opening night last weekend, wrote the music and lyrics to "Mame." He brings an intelligent humor to the play.

Jakie Batinga, an 8-year-old playing the young Patrick, excelled in the opening scene as a nervous kid who had lost his parents, was preparing to move in with a relative he didn't know, and had only his nanny, Agnes (Sally Struthers), to help him.

It's been a long time since "All in the Family," so younger audience members who have only seen Struthers in commercials imploring them to give to the Christian Children's Fund might not realize that the woman has a real ability to make audiences laugh. A plot development in the play's second act gives Struthers a chance to show us a different side of Agnes, and her performance is worth half the price of admission itself.

Ruth Williamson plays Vera Charles, Mame's hard-drinking actress friend. Williamson and Lawrence give a terrific performance singing "Bosom Buddies," in turn complimenting and insulting each other.

Amick Byram is wonderful as Beauregard, Mame's love interest, but it's a shame that it's such a small part. He disappears as quickly as he arrived. Byram has a commanding presence on stage. Tedd Szeto plays Ito, Mame's butler, in a part that feels underwritten. He is never given a whole lot to do. Is Mame a nice person to work for? Does Ito like his job? We never find out much about him.

In the second act, Mark W. Smith plays the adult Patrick, falling in love and still seeking the approval of his Auntie Mame. But Smith lacks chemistry with his love interest, and we never really understand what he sees in her.

But the strength of Musical Theatre West's performance is the triumvirate of Lawrence, Williamson and Struthers, three actresses who never fail to add the right amount of spice to their humor. This is a play to seek out and enjoy.