THEATER REVIEW : ‘Housewives’: Dated Concept

Almost from the beginning you can hear the forgettable musical “Angry Housewives” creak. Even in this energetic production at Saddleback College, it’s one of those shows that was written for its time and has no business in any other time. Even when it was new in the early-’80s it was old stuff.

These aren’t really angry housewives, to begin with. Bev (Kare Lindsey) is a young widow with a teen-age son who plays in a noisy rock band. Wendy (Daryl Jeanette Prietto) isn’t even a housewife, but she’s on her way. Carol (Skye Murphy) is a divorced high-school teacher, moody from age and overweight. Jetta (Emily Duval) has the most right to be angry--she’s married to a pompous, officious attorney. But basically, in her own dumb way, she’s happy.

The title comes from the purported punk-rock band they form to enter a teen-age contest. The whole thing is mired more in the world of Lucy and Desi, or Ozzie and Harriet, than to anything really angry, or even a little perturbed.

Director Patrick J. Fennell guides the cartoon with brightness and his tongue in cheek, playing into the juvenile simplicity of the book and the score. The book, by A.M. Collins, is very low-caliber sitcom and is too thin to pay much attention to. The score, by Chad Henry, never gets much above trite special material, and the closest it comes to punk rock is a kind of scattered rockabilly.

The four actresses are lively and obviously unembarrassed by the material. They have a good time in their ludicrous vinyl punk wigs and skimpy costumes, and Lindsey and Duval manage to demonstrate that their vocal skills might just win them the Friday-night cash prize at Lewd Fingers’ teen-age disco.

John Richard Petersen and Mat Genuser as Jetta’s toad of an attorney and Wendy’s fish-obsessed boyfriend, respectively, are as animated as a Saturday morning cartoon.

Joshua James Stecker is the most real of the actors, as the hustling teen-age son, and James Gilson as Lewd Fingers bounces easily from brash American tones to the slick working-class Brit accent he assumes as the club’s sneaky proprietor.

Gilson and Genuser team as old college chums in “Betsy Moberly,” a song that recalls everybody’s college chum. It’s the show’s only amusing number, and they carry it off with vaudevillian dash.

* “Angry Housewives,” Studio Theatre, Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo. Today-Friday, 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m. Ends Sunday. $7 and $8. (714) 582-4656. Running time: 2 hours.

Kare Lindsey: Bev

Joshua James Stecker: Tim

Daryl Jeanette Prietto: Wendy

Emily Duval: Jetta

Skye Murphy: Carol

John Richard Petersen: Larry

Mat Genuser: Wallace

James Gilson: Lewd Fingers

A Saddleback College Department of Theatre Arts production of the A.M. Collins-Chad Henry musical comedy. Directed by Patrick J. Fennell. Scenic design: Wally Huntoon. Choreography: Ellen J. Prince. Lighting design: Kevin Cook. Costume design: Charles Castagno. Stage manager: Tina Suttile.