Theater Reviews : Political Memo and Statement

Before Vaclav Havel became president of Czechoslovakia in 1989, he was one of the central figures in Prague’s theater community. A writer who had been a political prisoner at times, he left a marvelous heritage of plays that cringe at totalitarianism and laugh at Soviet bureaucracy.

One of his masterpieces, still a vital comment on the cumbersome systems of any massive corporation, is “The Memorandum.” It envisions the introduction of a new language into an office communication system to increase efficiency and to create “scientific precision” in relaying information. Of course, Ptydepe is useless because it’s impossible to learn, even by the most adept employees.

The language has been implemented by the company’s deputy managing director (Katie Zerga) without the knowledge of her boss (Scott A. Bauer). This sets in motion a game of corporate musical chairs that is not restricted to Soviet practice. It’s just funnier in this blatant context, because it’s not so close to home.

As the central figures, Bauer and Zerga are perfect. Bauer’s wilting bureaucratic paranoia has a power all its own, and Zerga’s Soviet version of the aggressive corporate female hits its target dead center.

Members of the large cast crash back and forth like a bunch of crazed gerbils across their littered, desperately confused and unworkable office space. (Credit Michael Ivan Roberts’ marvelously chaotic design.) They know Havel’s style and his biting sense of humor.

Especially notable are Suzanne LaRoque’s very funny, manic Helena, swiveling in a randy frenzy through the confusion; Brenda Terry’s bubbly Maria, who brings a tear with the play’s final line, and Kahlil Nelson’s amusing, silent Mr. Pillar, who tries to wield his own sort of power.

Perhaps the strongest impression is made by Dannine Consoli’s Lear, the unyielding instructor who runs the Ptydepe classes for both employees and audience. Her dialogue could have been written by Robert Benchley, and her delivery is impeccable in its hilarious sincerity in explaining a language that equates redundancy with reliability.

The success of the production, and its sheer madness, comes from the inspired direction of Duncan Mandel. His understanding of the text and its requirements are exceptional, as are directorial touches that expand on the text and illuminate it.

The same can’t be said for Todd Allen Fuessel’s direction of the program’s curtain-raiser, Athol Fugard’s powerful “Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act.” He has hurdled none of the obstacles in the play and has added some that defeat the overpowering political and erotic tones that are so much a part of Fugard’s writing.

Fugard’s story, based on a true incident, examines the charges of miscegenation against Frieda Joubert, a white librarian, and Errol Philander, a black schoolteacher. Shauna Daigle has many interestingly honest moments as Frieda, and Blaine T. Hoffman is firm as the arresting officer. But Fuessel’s decision to cast a white actor, Nathan Sanford, as Errol is not only silly, even as an acting exercise, but disastrous in the context of the play.

The directorial stumble of ignoring Errol’s South African accent robs the blood and guts from Fugard’s most pregnant flights of imagery. Sanford sounds like a preppy Peace Corps worker, and Errol’s final words to God and the world are delivered not as the primal scream of a simple man but more like a report to the front office.

* “The Memorandum” and “Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act,” Arena Theatre, Cal State Fullerton, 800 N. State College Blvd., Fullerton. Thursday through Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m. Ends Sunday. $4. (714) 773-3371. Running time: 3 hours, 20 minutes.

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“The Memorandum”

Scott A. Bauer: Josef Gross

Katie Zerga: Jan Ballas

Cecily Davis: Etta Stroll

Damien Navarro: Alex Savant

Suzanne LaRoque: Helena

Brenda Terry: Maria

Cindy Bellinder: Hana

Dannine Consoli: Lear

Kahlil Nelson: Ferdinand Pillar/Mr. Column

Ryan Simmons: George

Benjamin Johnson: Peter Thumb

*

“Statements After an Arrest . . . “

Nathan Sanford: Errol Philander

Shauna Daigle: Frieda Joubert

Blaine T. Hoffman: Detective-Sergeant J. du Preez

A presentation by the student-produced “All the World’s A Stage” at Cal Stage Fullerton. Produced by Jim Hays, assistant producer Ryan Simmons. “Memorandum”: Directed by Duncan Mandel. Scenic design: Michael Ivan Roberts. Lighting design: Ed Gatica. Costume design: Kathleen Ziegler. Sound design: Ryan James Orr. Make-up/hair design: Robert T. Gonzalez. Stage manager: Julia Musekamp. “Statements”: Directed by Todd Allen Fuessel. Scenic design: Michael Ivan Roberts. Lighting design: Brian (Dezy) Des Palmes. Costume design: David A. Heckman. Sound design: Eileen Dreger. Choreography: danyol m. leon. Make-up/hair design: Susan Mershon.