Dated I Do! I Do! Given Freshness by Its Stars at Laguna Playhouse

I Do! I Do!/book & lyrics by Tom Jones/music by Harvey Schmidt/directed by Alan Souza/Laguna Playhouse/through August 11

I Do! I Do!, set at the turn of the 20th century, is certainly a dated piece, and its big payoff may not come until the final scenes, but its two stars make it a deliciously memorable experience at the Laguna Playhouse through August 11.

In the classic mode of Waiting For Godot, as well as incorporating the comedic gusto of TV's I Love Lucy, two people, in this case, a married couple, try to find their purpose... and reap the big payoff of life...the best way they know how through experiencing a series of joys and sorrows over a period of 50 years, all the while believing God Is Love, embroidered on a pillow in the middle of their bed. The bed represents their married life, the pillow their beliefs, spiritual or not, in life, love and above all, each other. Despite rough times, Michael and Agnes stick it through. He's a writer and lecturer. In his frustration, he might take out his feelings on her, berate her and make her feel less than she deserves. At the time, this type of behavior was not thought of as abuse. She is his wife and the mother of his two children; she is his partner. But, his equal? At one point in Act I, she begins to walk out on him when he confides in her that he's having an affair with the cook, then...he apologizes...and she stays. Spineless woman, you say? This was over one hundred years ago. Today, a few negative words pointed in her direction, and the wife would pack her bags and run. Difficult to perceive, but wives at that time were not equal to men, or as equal; they didn't have jobs, they didn't have adequate financial support without their husbands or the means to obtain it. Where would they go? What would they do? They had meager defense strategies. And, apart from this, the bottom line? Unconditional love. He didn't mean that, he was just venting; it won't happen again. Husband gets away with abuse once again. In Act II, when their daughter Elizabeth gets married, she feels alone and unwanted. Facing a life of boredom without the children, she is again ready to walk out, to search for her true identity, but with a gift-wrapped book and some candy in hand, he persuades her to stay...and she does. Today's women wouldn't buy it; they would call it stupidity, but by the creators' standards, it was...compromise and love. Unconditional love wins once more.

Based on his play The Fourposter, Jan de Harog, trying to hide from the Nazis in 1943 Holland, wrote in isolation of all the things he would wish for himself if he were to live...a wife, children and a life full of hope and promise. We take so much for granted. We should count our blessings and smell the roses life puts in front of our eyes from time to time. Schmidt and Jones adapted Hartog's message with some truly lovely songs like "The Honeymoon Is Over" and "My Cup Runneth Over".

Vicki Lewis (Agnes) and Davis Gaines (Michael) fill the void with comic moments as well as unsettling ones. Again as in ...Godot, they are two clowns who make the loneliness pass as best they can. "When The Kids Get Married" and "Flaming Agnes" are but two of the delightfully funny numbers that give both actors a chance to strut their comedic/musical stuff. Her "What Is a Woman?" is, on the other hand, pretty serious business. Lewis is such a wonderfully versatile actress who can go from comedy to drama with the snap of a finger. Gaines, better known for his great operatic voice, has been steadily showing different sides to his talent as of late. Michael gives him the opportunity to be very funny, and it's nice to see him following through. Alan Souza's fine pacing as director consistently sets the right mode, as his actors are required to pass through quite the physical workout in the two-hour play. Jim Prodger's bedroom set with lovely picture window and Julie Keen's appropriate period costumes from wedding and evening garb right on down to basic sleep ware are fun to behold. Actors do their own makeup, which is quite effective as they prepare to age for the final scene some 50 years after their wedding, which opens the play.

Dated or not, I Do! I Do! has enough old-fashioned mirth, spunk and fire to make it a palatable curiosity. Definitely geared to a middle-aged audience and above...who are prone to remember the way it was. Top-notch pros Lewis and Gaines give their all to make it entertaining.

http://www.lagunaplayhouse.com/

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