THEATER REVIEW : Chaos and Clowning Reign in Staging of Italian Comedy : Carlo Goldini’s “The Servant of Two Masters” at Ventura College involves disguises and high jinks. But mostly it’s loud.

Confusion, deception, cross-dressing and saucy servants add up to “Shakespeare” to many English-speaking theater fans. Aficionados of classical Italian theater, though, might be reminded of prolific 18th-Century playwright Carlo Goldini, whose “The Servant of Two Masters” is the current production of Ventura College’s theater department.

The translation chosen by director Jay Varela is a (relatively) recent adaptation by Tom Cone, one of at least two modern English translations available. Goldini is credited with introducing realistic, rounded characters to the broad, slapstick commedia dell’arte. This “Servant” is still very broad, but mainly it’s loud.

After her fiance is killed in a duel, Clarice finds herself betrothed to Silvio, the earnest if less-than-bright son of attorney Lombardi. It is an arrangement made by Clarice’s father, Pantalone, a Venice merchant.

But then the first fiance shows up--alive. Clarice has never had any affection for him, never even met him. But, her father insists, a promise is a promise, and plans are made for Clarice to marry her first fiance.

But wait! The first fiance turns out to have been killed in the duel after all; the interloper is Beatrice, impersonating her dead brother in an attempt to track down his killer. High jinks ensue.

An ancillary plot involves Truffaldino, a servant who has hired himself out to two masters simultaneously, by pretending to be his own cousin.

Varela and his cast stage all of this for maximum physical impact, with actors rushing up and down the auditorium’s aisles, offstage pianist Edward B. Wahl banging out “That’s Amore,” and tertiary characters dressed as modern-day circus clowns.

At Sunday afternoon’s less-than-crowded performance, at least, much of that energy seemed to dissipate into the ether. Practically everybody involved stuck to one tone, verging on hysteria.

The play’s strongest aspects may be its energy, and the colorful and inventive costume and makeup design credited to Abra Flores: Truffaldino (Rob Sanchez) looks a bit like Chico Marx, for instance, and Lombardi (PJ Galligan) resembles a cross between Jose Ferrer and Martin Short’s “SCTV” character Ed Grimley.

Leading performers include Jeff Britt as Pantalone; Jill Waggoner as Pantalone’s spunky maid Smeraldina; Gregory Small, affecting an Elmer Fudd voice, as Silvio; Sarah P. Meaney as both Clarice and the voice of Truffaldino’s stomach; and Jazz Walea as Beatrice.

Details

* WHAT: “The Servant of Two Masters.”

* WHEN: Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m. Closes May 15.

* WHERE: Ventura College Mainstage Theater, Loma Vista Road (west of Day Road), Ventura

* HOW MUCH: $9 general admission; $7 students, staff and seniors. College ASB cardholders free.

* FYI: Friday night’s show only will be signed for the hearing-impaired by Deby Tygell. For reservations for any performance or further information, call 648-8922