‘Foreigner’ at Face Value

As Richard Stayton accurately stated in his review of “The Foreigner” at the Pasadena Playhouse, the comedy is about a neurotically shy Englishman’s masquerade (“ ‘Foreigner’ Hits Nerves, Funny Bones,” Sept. 21). But then Stayton goes on to say that “underneath its silly surface lie serious lessons about tolerance, cultural diversity, and our growing fear of immigrants.”

Not in the play I saw. None of the characters either expressed or intimated a fear of immigrants. Rather, they were enchanted with the foreigner and his strange language in their midst.

Stayton says, “If we pause to ponder its buried themes, as director Tom Alderman does in Pasadena, our intellect starts examining the plot . . . and our laughter ends.” If the director did indeed seek out buried themes and did indeed confide that to Stayton, he certainly doesn’t share that with the audience.

And rather than the laughter ending, I heard louder and more sustained belly-laughs throughout this play than at any other stage production in recent memory. I and my fellow subscribers got our money’s worth--and we took it at face value.

ROGER BECK

Big Bear City