Marriage, Deception, Intrigue

Sir John Vanbrugh’s plays, especially his flippant Restoration comedy “The Provok’d Wife,” caused quite a stir among the more prudish of Vanbrugh’s late 17th century contemporaries. That didn’t prevent “The Provok’d Wife” from becoming one of the most popular plays of its day.

It’s still a romp in director Dudley Knight’s stylish adaptation and staging in the Drama at UCI production in the UCI Concert Hall. The plot is slender as a reed, and some of its wit is rarefied, but there’s enough bawdy farce and low comedy to make one wonder why it isn’t revived more often. More than a museum piece, the play deals with problems and joys that are with us today.

Lady Brute, a young and buoyant woman married to the beastly Sir John Brute, is battered verbally and physically. Sir John hates marriage, cannot conceive why he allowed himself to be trapped and blames Lady Brute for every bad thing in his life. To compensate, Lady Brute takes a young lover, Constant, reasoning that, since her husband didn’t keep his wedding promise of kindness, she was absolved of her promise of fidelity.

Added to this are the machinations of the haughty, vain, conniving Lady Fancyfull, her flagrant pursuit of Constant’s friend Heartfree, and Heartfree’s realization that his adored bachelorhood will soon vanish through the charms of Lady Brute’s niece, Bellinda.

The complications multiply and fall back upon themselves like an intricate puzzle. Knight delights in all this fun; his tempos are giddy, and his handling of the intricate rhythms of Restoration comedy is sure.

Karen Weber’s setting of simplistic scrolls spread across the stage hints at the era but is not as indicative of the ambience as are Charlene McCabe’s snazzy period costumes and the wonderfully evocative musical direction by Nina Gilbert. Gilbert plays harpsichord, Eun Young Choi the recorder.

The company has as much fun as the audience does, reveling in several musical transitions; cast members sing snatches and ballads of the time. Only in some of the most minor roles does the young cast seem uncomfortable in the costumes and style.

The bright light of the production is Courtney Peterson’s Lady Brute, a performance as assured and delicate, as well-shaped and stylish, as it can be. On the same level is the Heartfree of Gene Douglas, who has the same comic feel and the ability to get a laugh with a knowing leer to the audience. Both actors read the period lines with taste and instinctive restraint.

Ashley Fuller, as Bellinda, is a charmer who has a flair for the humor of the age. Allen Liu’s Constant, while not as stalwart as he might be, is nevertheless the faithful and devoted swain. As Sir John Brute, Jeffrey Bivens manages that difficult actor’s trick of being ferociously nasty and evil most of the time but remaining likable and funny throughout, especially in the more physical comedy.

Also very funny is Andy Deal as the predatory Lady Fancyfull. Deal has a feel for visual comedy, though she’d be funnier with more subtlety. Cynthia Beckert is Fancyfull’s equally conniving French maid and plies her plots with flamboyant Gallic abandon, which also could be cut back, especially in contrast to the delicious performance of Joe Osheroff as her suitor, Razor. He has a meaty Cockney accent and impeccable timing.

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* “The Provok’d Wife,” Concert Hall, UC Irvine. 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday. $13-$15. Ends Saturday. (949) 824-2787 or (949) 824-5000.

Jeffrey Bivens: Sir John Brute

Courtney Peterson: Lady Brute

Ashley Fuller: Bellinda

Andy Deal: Lady Fancyfull

Cynthia Beckert: Mademoiselle

Gene Douglas: Heartfree

Allen Liu: Constant

Joe Osheroff: Razor

A Drama at UCI production of the Restoration comedy by Sir John Vanbrugh, adapted and directed by Dudley Knight. Music direction: Nina Gilbert. Choreography: Annie Loui. Scenic design: Karen Weber. Lighting design: Don Guy. Costume design: Charlene McCabe. Fight choreography: Christopher Villa. Stage manager: Jenny Labranche.