STAGE REVIEW : A VERY UNVOCAL ‘MATCHMAKER’

Whenever I see Thornton Wilder’s “The Matchmaker,” it renews my admiration for “Hello, Dolly!” the musical adapted from Wilder’s play. The musical is a spark plug in contrast with this sodden, sentimental farce with its quaint characters and spotlit homilies.

There are moments in the script that beg for Jerry Herman’s songs. But first things first--some of the actors in Jack V. Booch’s staging at the Commonwealth Theatre still hadn’t mastered their lines at the performance I attended.

Barbara Perry’s Dolly Levi tripped over her tongue more than anyone else--a critical problem, as Dolly’s gift for gab should carry the play. However, Michelle Holmes was in top form as the frisky milliner, Irene Molloy, and Eddie Frierson’s Cornelius Hackl was an amiably naive rube.

Theresa Kimbrough’s costumes are in finer fettle than are John Johnston’s sets.

Performances are at 540 S. Commonwealth Ave., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m., through March 29; phone (213) 385-1341.