'BEAU JEST' COURTS LAUGHS\Romantic comedy opens at Marquie.Byline: Victoria Giraud Special to the Daily News What happens when a nice Jewish girl, convinced she has to please her parents, rents a date to impersonate im·per·son·ate tr.v. im·per·son·at·ed, im·per·son·at·ing, im·per·son·ates 1. To assume the character or appearance of, especially fraudulently: impersonate a police officer. 2. a Jewish doctor for them? The confusion provides a hilarious evening of theater. It took the Marquie Dinner Theatre three years to bring Beau Jest to its stage, says executive director Paul Marquie. Judging from audience response, the wait was worth it. The frenetic fre·net·ic or phre·net·ic also fre·net·i·cal or phre·net·i·cal adj. Wildly excited or active; frantic; frenzied. [Middle English frenetik, from Old French frenetique Sarah, an animated and comic portrayal by Valerie Belardinelli, decides that she cannot admit to her parents that she's dating Chris, a gentile, (Dale Adrion). For her father's birthday dinner she calls an escort service and hires the charming Bob Schroeder. Oded Gross, as Bob, gives a masterful comic performance with all the right nuances, and just about steals the whole show. Trouble starts at the beginning - Bob is not Jewish. Sarah is frantic, "My parents can spot a Jew Jew Any person whose religion is Judaism. In a wider sense the term refers to any member of a worldwide ethnic and cultural group descended from the ancient Hebrews who traditionally practiced the Jewish religion. a mile away." Bob, however, is game for Sarah's little farce, and besides, he's an actor. He gets to use all his talents before this first date is over since Sarah has failed to mention that he's supposed to be a doctor as well. Enter the family - Abe, the workaholic work·a·hol·ic n. One who has a compulsive and unrelenting need to work. father, played wittily by Don Pearlman; Miriam, the demanding, fussy fuss·y adj. fuss·i·er, fuss·i·est 1. Easily upset; given to bouts of ill temper: a fussy baby. 2. mother, warmly rendered by Eleanor Brand; and the brother Joel, a neurotic neurotic /neu·rot·ic/ (ndbobr-rot´ik) 1. pertaining to or characterized by a neurosis. 2. a person affected with a neurosis. neu·rot·ic adj. psychologist (Mark Fagundes). The resourceful re·source·ful adj. Able to act effectively or imaginatively, especially in difficult situations. re·source  ful·ly adv. Bob almost forfeits the game time after time, but always manages to recover and finally wins the hearts of Sarah's parents. Finding that she is very attracted to Bob, Sarah can't resist another dinner, another masquerade. The pressure as well as the laughs build. The resulting climax is a gem. Joel confronts Sarah with her deception; Chris, the rejected suitor SUITOR. One who is a party to a suit or action in court. One who is a party to an action. In its ancient sense, suitor meant one Who was bound to attend the county court, also, one who formed part of the secta. (q.v.) , arrives to ask for Sarah's hand, and Bob, who's also in love with Sarah, doesn't want to play anymore. It's more than worth the ticket price to discover, in Shakespeare's words, "All's well that ends well." THE FACTS WHAT: "Beau Jest," by James Sherman. WHEN: Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings through April 13. Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m., show at 8 p.m. WHERE: Marquie Dinner Theatre, 340 N. Mobil Ave., Camarillo. INFORMATION: (805) 484-9909. COST: Thursdays, $26 per person, $24 for seniors; Friday and Saturdays $28 per person. CAPTION(S): PHOTO Photo Sarah Goldman (Valerie Belardinelli), center, finds herself torn between two suitors as she deceives her parents about who she is dating in the comedy, Beau Jest now playing at the Marquie Dinner Theatre. |
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