Berkeley Rep's Doctor is in... and out of his mind
MEDICAL MAYHEM: The merry pranksters of Berkeley Rep's A Doctor in Spite of Himself include (from left) Liam Craig, Renata Friedman, Steven Epp and Julie Briskman. BELOW: Epp (center) and Craig (right) are joined by Jacob Ming-Trent. Photos by kevinberne.com
The Punch and Judy show begins – "domestic violence between two consenting puppets," we're later told – then the fighting couple takes human form as Epp's Sganarelle and Justine Williams as his heavy-bosomed wife Martine continue the fight in the real world. But the puppet conceit continues. Every time someone walks behind the outhouse, they return to puppet form until the reach the other side.Within minutes, we get the gist of this adaptation. Anything and everything goes when it comes to yanking laughs from the audience. Epp launches into Abba's "Dancing Queen" and "SOS" in fairly short order, and he even quotes the Greeks: "Aristotle was right. Having a wife is a bucket of crap."By the end of the show, we'll have heard an abundance of musical references, from the "I Dream of Jeannie" theme to "Rapper's Delight" to The Music Man to Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me 'Round." Lady Gaga will be referenced, as will the leading Republican presidential candidates (the Santorum reference is pretty dang funny). The score (Aaron Halva is the composer and music director) includes original material as well, and it's a key factor in regulating the intensity of the hilarity with some calmer, sweeter moments.This cast creates an extraordinary comedy machine, and each performer is a vital moving part. Liam Craig and Jacob Ming-Trent are sort of a Tweedle Dum-Tweedle Dee pair, and just about everything they do, whether in tandem or individually, brings a smile. I was especially delighted by Craig's deadpan delivery and Ming-Trent's tendency to punctuate jokes with vocal runs.Of course there are young lovers here, and Renata Friedman as Lucinde and Chivas Michael as Léandre do everything in their considerable power to keep the ingenues from being boring. Julie Briskman as randy maid Jacqueline is the epitome of the good sport, even with Sganarelle is motor-boating her. And Allen Gilmore as a doddering and fading member of the French aristocracy offers clowning of the highest (sometimes hip-hoppiest) order.A Doctor in Spite of Himself could exhaust you with its onslaught of throw-away jokes and comedic bits, but Bayes' careful direction varies the pace and tone just enough to keep the audience relaxed and, more importantly, happy.Winter blahs be damned. This production is just what the doctor ordered.[bonus interview]Wherein I chat with the brilliant Steven Epp for the San Francisco Chronicle. Read the feature here.FOR MORE INFORMATIONMolière's A Doctor in Spite of Himself continues through March 25 in Berkeley Repertory Theatre's Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison St., Berkeley. Tickets are $14.50-$73 (subject to change). Call 510-647-2949 or visit www.berkeleyrep.org.