The Sandspur

Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Hannah White and Morgan Williams

Media Credit: Hannah White and Morgan Williams "SPANKS": The cast of Mr. Marmalade give a stunning performance of the seemingly controversial tale of a young girl and her imaginary friends.

Over the years, The Fred Stone Theatre has earned the slogan "Spank Your Mind" due to its commitment to plays containing x-rated elements, unconventional forms and edgy topics. The most recent production on The Fred Stone, Noah Haidle's "Mr. Marmalade," lived up to the naughty slogan in every way. Last Thursday, "Mr. Marmalade" opened to a packed house, and I think it is fair to say that before the show was over, everyone's mind had officially been spanked.

Mr. Marmalade tells the story of a peculiar four-year-old girl named Lucy, played by Alex Richmond (Class of 2010), and her wild imagination. When Lucy's promiscuous mother goes on a date for the night, Lucy has to occupy herself and her mind for the night while being half-heartedly watched by her babysitter. Throughout the night, the audience is introduced to a handful of wacky characters including Larry, the five-year-old who made the youngest suicide attempt in history, Mr. Marmalade, Lucy's imaginary friend, and a talking cactus and sunflower. In Lucy's mind, Mr. Marmalade is a businessman who is always working and never has enough time to play with her. He also has a number of bad habits such as cocaine abuse, porno infatuation, and a nasty temper. Eventually, Mr. Marmalade upsets Lucy with his drug abuse and Larry, Lucy's new-found friend, comes to her rescue. Eventually, Mr. Marmalade kills himself, which allows Lucy to let go of him and play dodgeball with Larry, an odd but ultimately happy ending.

The individual performances were superb and created a heightened playing style in which the audience was able to believe the wacky goings-on of Lucy's imagination. Richmond shined as the leading lady (or girl). Her playful nature and quick temperament allowed her to bring the four-year-old to life on stage. Brian Hatch (Class of 2011) played the sheepish, ultimately heroic, Larry. His careful physical characterization of the suicidal child was superb, reminding the audience of many silly things they used to do when they were younger. Ryan Lambert (Class of 2012) played the slimy Mr. Marmalade, a role that showcased his ability to call upon a wide range of emotional extremes. Casey Ottinger (Class of 2010) performed the role of Bradley, Mr. Marmalade's personal assistant. Ottinger created a very sincere and proper character that played well against the wackiness in the rest of the play. In one of the funniest scenes, Dustin Schwab (Class of 2010) and Amanda Leakey (Class of 2010) brought to life two imaginary plants, a sunflower and a cactus, starting a spontaneous food fight onstage.

The show was directed by Rob Yoho (Class of 2010). Yoho successfully managed to orchestrate staging, set and sound elements, telling a clear story of lost innocence, youthful loneliness, and the importance of friendship. Even though the set pieces were quite simple, a futon and four blocks, Yoho created a plethora of interesting stage pictures that set up hilarious scenes. The Fred Stone Theatre is completely run and directed by students, setting it apart from the Annie Russell Theatre's main stage productions. Mr. Marmalade went above and beyond the expectations of the Fred Stone and was truly a show of main-stage quality.

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