Bliss-ed Out

In these days of Jerry Springer-esque excess, a healthy dose of Noel Coward is a good tonic. For this master of acerbity, lighthandedness was a serious calling.

But Coward can prove a sticky wicket, particularly to an American company. In most of Coward’s drawing-room comedies, impeccable Bloomsbury accents are absolutely crucial to the comic cadences. Call it a small miracle, then, that the Occidental Theater Festival’s production of “Hay Fever,” arguably Coward’s fluffiest play, is a pristine and delicate rendering worthy of the Old Vic--even more miraculous considering that many in the company are recent Occidental grads.

Director Alan Freeman and his accomplished cast understand that Coward, even at his most weightless, must never be specious, and they give the play the painstaking detail of an elaborate sand sculpture. Yet, to their credit, we never see the effort behind the ephemera.

And certainly, few families are more ephemeral than the delightful Bliss clan. Matriarch Judith (the magnificently mannered Kathie Freeman) is a flamboyantly affected actress who has never known a sincere moment. Her hubby David (Christopher Shelton), a best-selling hack writer, has a towering temperament unjustified by his meager talent. Son Simon (Michael Newman), an aspiring artist, is a dabbling dilettante who rivals his parents in impetuosity. And spoiled gamin Sorel (Marjie Schaffer), a chip off her mother Judith’s block, expresses herself through the fine art of flirtation.

Unbeknownst to one another, the family members each invite a friend for the weekend. Sandy Tyrell (Michael Weitzman), Judith’s athletic young admirer, has been asked along to satisfy the grande dame’s insatiable appetite for attention. David has invited diffident flapper Jackie (Stephanie Case) as a case study for his latest novel. Diplomatist Richard Greatham (Tom Shelton) has arrived at Sorel’s request, while Simon has enticed his latest passion Myra Arundel (hilarious Suzanne Ford), an aging vamp and his mother’s arch rival.

It’s a full house, and the highly theatrical Blisses are in their element. However, unaccustomed to the rarefied nonsense of the Bliss menage, the poor outsiders quickly become a captive audience in a looking glass world where none of the conventions apply.

Lighting designer Trevor Norton delicately duplicates the golden hues of an English summer, and costume designer Alexa M. Ebben turns out an impressive array of vintage ‘20s attire, from the elaborate to the subdued. Scenic designer Susan Gratch lets the terrain of this cozy amphitheater do much of the work for her. The French doors of her handsome set open onto a verdant hillside, an apt locale for the Blisses’ countryside manor--and the perfect setting for this must-see summertime treat.

BE THERE

“Hay Fever,” Occidental College’s Hillside Amphitheater. Thursdays-Saturdays and this Sunday, 8 p.m. Ends Aug. 8. $15-$18. (213) 259-2922. Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes.