Young Actors Keep ‘Tales’ on Target

The squeaky wheel gets the grease. If that wheel’s name happens to be Fudge Hatcher, it also gets the lamb chop, free run of the house, way more attention than it deserves and just about anything else its scheming little heart desires.

At least that’s the way it looks to Peter, Fudge’s older brother and the beleaguered hero of “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing,” Bruce Mason’s adaptation of the children’s book by Judy Blume.

Directed by Joe Lauderdale, the Laguna Playhouse Youth Theater presents the comedy through June 27 at the Moulton Theatre.

Set in and around the family’s New York apartment, “Tales” follows the Hatcher clan through the day-to-day travails of life with Fudge, a despot in training pants who rules the house with a tiny iron first.

Fudge could write the book on “the terrible twos”: He demands round-the-clock attention, tests authority (and gravity) at every turn and has a shriek that could shatter safety glass.

Peter, who has his own fourth-grade trials to deal with, is sick to death of him and uses his role as the story’s narrator to gripe to a sympathetic audience.

Propelled by Fudge from one domestic crisis to another, “Tales” moves at a fast and furious pace.

Blume’s tell-it-like-it-is style is uncontrived and the results are often hilarious; funnier still if you’ve ever survived life with a 2-year-old, as a parent or a sibling. Fudge’s birthday party with neighborhood preschoolers (played by a trio of adult actors) is a scream.

On its own, “Tales” would be an entertaining piece of family theater. Lauderdale apparently isn’t content with that.

In a quest for bigger laughs and more theatricality, he gilds this “Tales” with a coating of American vaudeville/musical comedy shtick.

Leggy chorus girls parade around with placards announcing upcoming scenes. Ensemble actors dash from one cartoonish role to the next. Schmaltzy song-and-dance tunes rise in the background.

At times, this cleverness may coax a few extra grins from adults, but eventually it just gets old.

“Tales” has a cast of four adults and seven children ages 7 to 14, most of them, along with most of the show’s running crew, are members of the company’s Youth Theatre Ensemble, a performing-arts training program directed by Lauderdale.

The kids, including those who play multiple supporting roles, are a capable lot. As Peter, James Bryant not only humorously portrays the frustrations of life with Fudge, but paints a clear picture of what Fudge’s stage-hogging can do to a 9-year-old’s unsteady ego.

Especially telling is a scene in which his schoolyard nemesis, Sheila Tubman, catches him in the saddle shoes his mother has coerced him to wear in her attempt to get Fudge to do the same. Bryant’s attempts to make himself invisible are hysterically on target.

Michael Proppe and Lindsay Cole provide nice foils as Jimmy, Peter’s best buddy, and Sheila. As Fudge, Justin Blaine, the junior member of the cast at 7, has a surprising ease to his performance that belies his age.

The adults are another story.

While over-the-top performances by Lisa Hale (Mom) and ensemble members Terry Christopher and Karan Founds are in tune with Lauderdale’s musical-comedy styling, they are nevertheless distracting.

Hale in particular never lets up; when she isn’t screaming into the phone at the pediatrician, she’s bug-eyed and helpless over Fudge’s latest mishap. Then again, since the tale is told from Peter’s perspective, maybe we’re supposed to assume that this really is the way he sees adults. If that’s the case, it’s no wonder he’s discouraged.

With the exception of goofball shoe salesman Mr. Berman and the feather-and-pearl-dripping placard girls, the cast is costumed by Lauderdale and Tim Dey in unremarkable contemporary clothing, while Mom flits about in impractical knee-and shoulder-baring fashions.

Gary May’s streamlined rolling set pieces, ferried about the stage by cast members, were a plus.

*”Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing,” Moulton Theatre, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Friday, 7:30; Saturday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday’s final performance is sold out. (A post-show discussion with the cast and director follows the Saturday evening performance.) Ends Sunday. $6 to $9. (714) 494-8021. Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes. James Bryant Peter Hatcher

Justin Blaine Farley Drexel (Fudge) Hatcher

Lisa Hale Anne Hatcher

Marc Ravenhill Warren Hatcher

Terry Christopher Mr. Yarby/Ralph/Dr. Brown/Mr. Vincent

Karan Founds Mrs. Yarby/Jennie/Dr. Cone

Lindsay Cole Sheila Tubman/Sally

Michael Proppe Jimmy Fargo/Murray

Brad Bredeweg Sam/Mr. Berman/Mr. Denberg

Tamara Hoffman Dr. Brown’s Nurse/Camera person/Placard Girl 1

Claire Gaboury Janet/Placard Girl 2

A Laguna Playhouse Youth Theater production. Adapted by Bruce Mason from the children’s book by Judy Blume. Directed by Joe Lauderdale. Assistant director: Riki Kucheck. Sets: Gary May. Costumes: Joe Lauderdale and Tim Dey. Lights: Robert L. Smith. Sound: David Edwards.