STAGE REVIEWS : ‘WASHINGTON’

Westminster Community Theatre doesn’t come close to realizing the potential of the Moss Hart-George S. Kaufman classic “George Washington Slept Here.” This is a production that ambles along, taking a pace as leisurely as a stroll through the country, giving only dim suggestions of the brilliance that gives Kaufman and Hart comedies their special place in American theater.

Director Tom Titus’ production has a slap-dash, thrown-together feel that is at odds with the play’s tightly constructed framework and its sharply drawn characters. The plot covers well-worn territory, to be sure, dealing with a city man who fancies himself a country squire and moves his family into a historic but run-down Pennsylvania farmhouse. But Kaufman and Hart’s play, written in 1940, is as funny as ever, and it’s filled with enough genuine emotion to let us care while we laugh.

Characters by Kaufman and Hart give actors ample opportunities for fun and creativity, but Titus hasn’t focused on creating the sense of natural ease that would make the performances here seem less forced. As the new country gentleman, Marc LeBlanc pushes too hard, and his overbearing cheerfulness undercuts his character’s believability. Marcia Bertholf emphasizes the acerbic, sarcastic sides of his less than enthusiastic wife, and although she brings a pleasing vulnerability to her more low-key scenes, her approach creates a character that is too brittle to be really likable. Sue Chaska is pleasant if rather colorless as the visiting summer stock actress, and Ginger Francis has some funny moments as the sullen maid. Jack Wallenbacher cuts a believable figure as the very rich (and therefore very coddled) uncle, but his approach is too subdued to pack much of a comic punch, especially with the very broad playing around him.

“George Washington Slept Here” continues through April 12 at Westminster Community Theatre, 7272 Maple St., Westminster. For information, call (714) 995-4113.