Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Movie Review: 2.5 Palm Trees out of 4 Palm Trees

by Victoria Usher

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is a 2018 science fiction and fantasy film that is based on the characters created by J.K. Rowling. It was directed by David Yates. It was produced by David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves, and Lionel Wigram. It was written by J.K. Rowling. The film stars Eddie Redmayne, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Katherine Waterston, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Ezra Miller, and Zoe Kravitz. The cinematography was by Philippe Rousselot. It was edited by Mark Day. The casting was done by Fiona Weir. The production design was done by Stuart Craig. The costume design was done by Colleen Atwood. The set decoration was done by Anna Pinnock. The music was by James Newton Howard. It was distributed by Warner Brothers Pictures. The film was officially released in cinemas on November 16th, 2018.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is the second part of the Wizarding World film series that was created by J.K. Rowling. This second part of the series was filmed in a specific and unique way that shows foreshadowing as being the most pivotal part of the film. When foreshadowing is written well and filmed right it can be the perfect thing to use in a film series or in a television series, as long as it is used in moderation. However, when it becomes hard to keep track of what the actual plot is because the film starts to become so heavily filled with foreshadowing and maybe only a sprinkle of plot every now and again then the whole film can very easily become boring and cause the audience to lose interest extremely quickly. The main three things that this film has that almost make up for the excessive amount of foreshadowing are the gorgeous visual effects, the spectacular acting from the cast, and the beautiful soundtrack. These three specific all wrapped together truly help to carry this second film in a way that keeps the audience captivated and excited.

(Rated: PG-13) (Running Time: 2h 14m)

by Shirley Lorraine
Quirky Cinderella careens into Ojai

The Ojai Art Center Theater has taken some risks this season in presenting infrequently produced material for audiences to enjoy. Humor, depth and artistry has been gracing the OACT stage all season. In a wild turn of events, and for just three weekends, the 2018 season concludes with a new and decidedly quirky version of the fairy tale Cinderella. For a complete reality escape, this high energy musical production certainly fills the bill.

First, the style. Forget what you may have seen before. This production is done Panto style, described as a highly exaggerated fractured fairy tale with about as many surprises as one can absorb in an evening. Roles are reversed, twisted and sliced and diced with abandon. There is little evidence of tradition here. And it is all in good fun.

The offbeat concept was originally conceived and directed by Paul Whitworth for the Shakespeare Santa Cruz company with book and lyrics by Kate Hawley. Directed here by Richard Kuhlman, the frenetic action sneaks in many local and theatrical references to tickle the funny bone. But listen and think quickly, or you’ll miss it.

Most over the age of a toddler are familiar with the tale of poor Ella, who is misused and beleaguered by her evil step-mother and two less-than-dainty stepsisters. Her fairy godmother appears to help Ella rise above the cinders to catch the eye of an eligible prince despite many attempts to thwart her good fortune.

In this version, there is a side story involving Little Bo Peep and her band of sheep as well as a narrator-cum-activator character to assist the audience in fully appreciating the action by leading the audience to interact with the characters. Think fairy tale meets a young Shakespeare meets the melodrama. Add vividly colorful costuming, greatly exaggerated movement and expert piano accompaniment by Andy Street and there you have it.

The cast includes Sindy McKay-Swerdlove as the Fairy Godmother, Anna Kotula as the ditzy Queen, Coree Serena Kotula as the King (this is one talented youngster). Poosy Holmes bursts onto the stage as Buttons, the audience liaison, Jodi Brandt takes on the role of Prince Charming, and Denise Heller gives life to Cinderella. Michael McCarthy takes on Peep with unbridled zest.

Marisa Miculian embodies the evil step-mother, with Marilyn Lazik and Sheila McCarthy as the wildly overdone step-sisters. Brett Baxter, Bodhi Bourbon, Don Gaidano, Lenny Klaif and John Valenzuela fill in as multiple personalities. Cinderella’s father is credited to Tarrara Boomdeay (really?) who seems to be having a blast. In fact, they all are.

This is a production filled with slapstick action, continual audience wink-wink moments and an air of theatrical freedom that must be seen to be appreciated. In this difficult year of trials and tears, a true escape is sorely needed. This is it. Bring the whole family. There is something for everyone. Of course, there is a moral at the end but the bottom line is – just sit back and enjoy.

Cinderella continues through December 16. Show times are Fridays at 7:30, Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. $20 general admission, $18 for seniors and Art Center members, and $10 for those 25 and under. The Ojai Art Center is located at 113 S. Montgomery, phone (805) 640-8797 or www.ojaiact.org .at:

by Shirley Lorraine
Classic Christie mystery intrigues

Santa Paula Theater Center closes out its 2018 season with a classic Agatha Christie drawing room murder mystery now through December 16. A lesser known work, the play version was an adaptation of an earlier novel of Christie’s own by the same name. Several key points were assigned new identities and adjustments made to the original setting.

The result is a charming, albeit wordy (quite common to the time and style), mystery featuring Christie’s trademark fascinating characters, all of whom harbor secrets. A murder is committed, everyone is a suspect, and the surprising truth ultimately comes to light.

Director Fred Helsel has assembled a seasoned cast which carries off each distinct characterization with aplomb and conviction. This is truly an ensemble piece wherein each character tantalizes the audience with snippets of information to be pondered and pieced together.

The setting is London, England, year 1948, at the home of Sir Henry and Lady Angkatell (Ronald Rezac and Peggy Stekete) who have invited several friends and relatives to enjoy a weekend in the country. Things begin to go awry as their son Edward (Trent Trachtenberg) clashes with guest John Cristow (Chip Albers) and his seemingly dim wife Gerda (Joy Goldowitz). Also present is cousin Henrietta Angkatell (Jordawn Howard), Cristow’s mistress and Midge Harvey (Morgan Bozarth), a family friend.

The house is maintained by long-time family butler Gudgeon (Doug Friedlander) and a new housemaid, Doris (Jadzia Winter). As one character so well states “The thing about murder is that it upsets the servants so”. After all, they must maintain the manor.

The plot thickens when actress Victoria Craye (Vivian Latham), a former mistress of Cristow, rents a house on the same lane. When Cristow is found shot, Inspector Colquhuon (Andy Brasted) and Detective Sergeant Penny (Eric McGowan) arrive to piece together the puzzle.

One should pay close attention to the subtle hints in the dialogue as the play progresses. As all the characters employ English accents and due to the quirks of the vocabulary of the era, this can be a challenging aspect for some. There are so many plot twists and turns it wouldn’t be out of line to make notes for reference at intermission.

The exquisite setting by Taylor Kasch, beautiful period costuming by Barbara Pedziwiatr and just the right touches of mood music attributed to Helsel and Allan Noel add to the overall charm of the piece.

The play is filled with underplayed humor. Only one character, that of Lady Angkatell (Peggy Stekete) seems purposely designed to trigger laughs, which she does easily. Sir Henry (Ronald Rezac), her long-suffering devoted husband, gently guides her to saner pastures when needed. Both are a delight. All the characterizations are definitively outstanding.

By today’s standard of fast-paced, non-stop action that quickly telegraphs details, the elaborate exposition in this play may seem a bit extended to some. However, it is a classic style well worth the journey. Settle back and enjoy the wordplay.

The Hollow continues Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. through December 16. Adults are $24, seniors and students $22, children 12 and under $18. (805) 525-4645 or www.santapaulatheatercenter.org for ticket and seating information.

by Shirley Lorraine

Bus Stop storms into Elite for a spell

A classic dramatic play, Bus Stop by William Inge, is now on stage at the Elite Theater in Oxnard. Born in Kansas, Inge was considered a quintessential midwestern writer who hit his stride in the mid-1950s. He wrote about life in small towns and the commonality of people as they are forced together under difficult circumstances. Bus Stop is said to be the play that put Inge into the public eye.

The cast of Bus Stop, under the direction of Brian Robert Harris, brings the audience into Grace’s Diner west of Kansas City when a cross-country bus is stranded overnight due to blizzard conditions. Headed for destinations out of state, the riders are a disparate group all with their own reasons to be on the move. As the night wears on, the characters learn much about each other and about themselves.

The diner is run by Grace (Aileen-Marie Scott), an easy going “been there” woman filled with an understanding of how things are and how to cope as best she can. Her high-school age helper, Elma Duckworth (Shayde Bridges), displays youthful trust and naivete that almost land her in trouble. The local sheriff, Will Masters (Michael Perlmutter), keeps order as needed in the small town. His soft, down-home friendly demeanor carries a tinge of the sharp edge of authority.

The bus is this night manned by Carl (Todd Tickner), a route driver who makes Grace’s a regular stop. Riders trapped in the unbidden stopover are Cherie (Hayley Georgeanne Cariker), a young chanteuse lured from her job in a nightclub by Bo Decker (Michael Wayne Beck), a petulant young cowboy fresh from the rodeo who has vowed to wed Cherie despite her protests. His low-key friend Virgil (Bill Walthall) tries to keep Bo’s volatile temper in check as Cherie waves off his advances. Scott Blanchard plays Dr. Gerald Lyman, an educator with a thirst for drink to cover his lack of self-confidence.

As the night wears on, so do tempers, patience and compassion. Altercations occur, angry words pour forth and fatigue nips at everyone. All the characters are united, however, in their need to be respected. This strong theme is challenged severely as some discover they need to respect themselves first and look below the surface for reasons to respect others.

Performances are strong throughout. The Elite does not have the luxury of providing microphones for their actors, and I found that often the realistic sound of the blizzard outdoors overshadowed the dialogue, especially in the opening scenes. Perhaps a slight adjustment of blizzard tempered, and voices raised would help equalize the volume for everyone’s benefit.

There are some personal moments of beauty as well. Bill Walthall plays the guitar with quiet passion. Hayley Georgeanne Cariker takes the stage by storm with her vocal rendition of “Black Magic” and the loving looks between Grace and Carl (Scott and Tickner are married in “real” life) offer an extra dollop of sweetness to the story.

Bus Stop continues Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through November 18. Reservations are recommended. www.elitetheatre.org or 805-483-5118. Adults are $20, Seniors and Students $17. Elite Theatre is located at 2731 S. Victoria Ave in Channel Islands.

Bohemian Rhapsody
Movie Review: 3.5 Palm Trees out of 4 Palm Trees

by Victoria Usher

Bohemian Rhapsody is a 2018 biographical film about the British rock band Queen.

Queen was a British rock band and they were one of the most popular, most talented, and most influential bands ever. They had a unique style of music that people adored, and they also had exciting and refreshing personalities that people could never get enough of. The film Bohemian Rhapsody is set in the 1970’s and it observes the legendary band, Queen, as they work their way up to super stardom, all while paying extra special attention to the front man Freddie Mercury (played by Rami Malek) and showing the rest of the band members as the supporting actors. The film tells Queen’s story all the way up until the band’s show stopping Live Aid performance at Wembley Stadium in 1985. Casting was done extremely well for Freddie Mercury as well as for the rest of the band members. The chemistry between all of the actors on screen truly makes you feel as though you are watching the real band interact. There are real events and real struggles shown throughout the film that Freddie Mercury went through during the course of his life. A few of Queen’s greatest and most well-known songs such as “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “We Will Rock You”, “Somebody To Love”, and others are played throughout the film in order to help set the mood, set the tone, and also to help go along with the plot in a special and unique way.

I believe that this was a wonderful film that any person who is a true fan of the band Queen would enjoy watching. One of the specific things that truly keeps you enthralled during the entire film is Rami Malek’s phenomenal performance as Freddie Mercury, the leading man from the band Queen. He allows himself to be completely taken over by his character and become Freddie Mercury. He captures the hearts of all the people watching him.

Directed by Bryan Singer. It was produced by Brian May, Graham King, Jim Beach, Roger Taylor, Dexter Fletcher, Jane Rosenthal, Donald Sabourin, and Richard Hewitt. The screenplay was by Anthony McCarten. The story was by Anthony McCarten and Peter Morgan. The film stars Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Aidan Gillen, Tom Hollander, and Mike Myers. The cinematography was by Newton Thomas Sigel. It was edited by John Ottman. The casting was done by Susie Figgis. The production design was done by Aaron Haye. The costume design was done by Julian Day. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox.

(Rated: PG-13) (Running Time: 2h 14m)

by Tony Rizzo

Two-time Oscar-winner Hilary Swank has been in Australia making “I Am Mother,” with Clara Rugaard. The film is about a teenage girl raised by a robot mother designed to repopulate Earth following an extinction event. Her recent film “55 Steps,” with Helena Bonham Carter and Jeffrey Tambor, premiered last month at The Toronto International Film Festival.

Matt Damon has been filming in California; New Orleans; Atlanta; Savannah, Georgia; and in Le Mans, France, for his latest film, “Ford v. Ferrari,” based on the book “Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans,” by A.J. Baime. The $100 million budget should ensure lots of racing action as he and Christian Bale compete for glory at Le Mans. The racing thrills hit screens June 28.

Shirley MacLaine, one of the last movie stars from the golden age of Hollywood, is still going strong at 84. She’s a four-time Oscar nominee, for “Irma La Deuce” (1964), as a director of “The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir” (1975), “The Turning Point” (1978) and “Terms of Endearment,” for which she won a best-supporting Oscar in 1984. Shirley recently did Netflix’s “The Little Mermaid,” with William Moseley (“The Chronicles of Narnia”), and has just completed the Disney Fantasy Christmas comedy “Noelle,” for Disney’s streaming service. Shirley has written umpteen books about her reincarnations, and if she’s lived before, she may have been through the studio system more than once!

(c) 2018 King Features Synd., Inc.

by Shirley Lorraine

Interplanetary hi-jinx in high gear at Rubicon

It seems that no matter what the situation or scenario, William Shakespeare already has it covered. Based very loosely on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Return to the Forbidden Planet uses a clever mix of science fiction, rock music and many of the Bard’s words to weave its tale. Author Bob Carlton debuted the musical in London in 1989 to rave reviews. Rubicon first presented it in 2016 and brought it back specifically for the theater’s 20th anniversary season.
Imagine Galaxy Quest meets Plan 9 meets Shakespeare.

The action begins the minute one enters the theater. Members of the crew of the ship Scientific Survey Flight Nine welcome patrons and assist in acclimating them to their surroundings and rules to follow while in flight.

As the voyage begins Captain Tempest (Daniel DeYoung) and the crew is introduced to their new Science Officer – a woman. Egads. She immediately abandons ship on the last shuttlecraft just before the ship crashes on an uncharted planet. The planet is ruled by Prospero (Kevin Bailey), a brilliant scientist who was rocketed there fifteen years ago by his wife, Gloria (Rebecca Ann Jonson) who coincidentally is the new Science Officer, before his greatest discovery was revealed. Their infant daughter Miranda was along and the two have been exiled on the lonely planet.

Captain Tempest welcomes Prospero onto his ship and things turn a bit crazy. Miranda (Kimberly Hessler), who is now of age, has never seen other men before and right away is struck by the Captain. The ship’s cook, Cookie (Andrew Huber), is smitten with Miranda and vows to win her over. Along the way we are introduced to Ariel (Larry Cedar), a quite hip and groovy robot.

The plot is a relatively simple one of love found, love lost, and love regained. The setting on a space ship armed with a rock band creates an entirely new way to present Shakespeare. It just continues to prove that his words are timeless, as they adapt easily to any situation, no matter how farfetched.

Return to the Forbidden Planet is just plain fun. Riddled with over 20 familiar tunes of the 50’s and 60’s such as Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, Shake, Rattle and Roll and She’s Not There, the action is a continual panoply of sight, sound and surprises.

The cast is out of this world talented all around. The Navigation Officer (Eric Shorey) plays a mean synthesizer and the ship comes complete with its own on-board drummer, guitar players and back-up dancers. Shouldn’t they all?

The energy is electric. The stage setting is clever, with all the bells and whistles a space ship could have. On opening night there was a slight hitch in one mechanism and the cast dealt with it so well it took a few moments to realize anything was amiss. Shakespearean dialogue continued until all was resolved and the action progressed seamlessly.

If you caught the show in 2016, go again. If you missed it before, be sure to catch it this time before it spins back into space.

Return to the Forbidden Planet runs through November 4. Performances are Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursdays at 7 p.m, Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Rubicon Theater, 1006 E. Main St, Ventura. www.rubicontheatre.org or (805) 667-2900 for tickets. Prices vary.

A Simple Favor
Movie Review: 3 Palm Trees out of 4 Palm Trees

by Victoria Usher

A Simple Favor is a 2018 film directed by Paul Feig. Screenplay by Jessica Sharzer. Based on 2017 novel by Darcey Bell. Cinematography by John Schwartzman. Music by Theodore Shapiro. Film Editing by Brent White. Produced by Paul Feig, Jessie Henderson, Mike Drake, and Jason Cloth. Costume design by Renee Ehrlich Kalfus.

The film stars Anna Kendrick (“Pitch Perfect”), Blake Lively (“Gossip Girl”), and Henry Golding (“Crazy Rich Asians”). It is a mystery, thriller, and it has some fantastic surprising comedy thrown into the mix as well. In the film, Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) are two suburban mothers who meet each other at the school that both of their sons go to. Despite their obvious differences, they very quickly become close friends. Stephanie is an extremely kind, upbeat, and perfect stay at home mother who runs her very own and very popular mommy vlog. Emily is mysterious, gorgeous, always dressed to kill fashion publicist with a past she would like to keep buried. The two women start spending some time together, they get to know each other a little better, and they share a few secrets with each other. Everything seems okay until one day Emily suddenly goes missing. Stephanie decides that she is going to take it upon herself to figure out what exactly happened and find Emily. But once Stephanie begins her investigation she very quickly gets pulled deeply into Emily’s twisted and dark past, which in turn forces her to open her eyes and face her own dark past.

I believe that what truly keeps you on the edge of your seat while you are watching this film are the main cast and their amazing performances. Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively were brilliant choices for this movie. They have wonderful chemistry when they are on screen together. The way the two of them playoff of each other works extremely well. It was an unexpected but successful and welcoming duo. Both of their characters different personalities made their friendship on screen even more exciting and intriguing to watch.

My main complaint would be that after watching the entire film and thoroughly enjoying the well thought out and thrilling plot line, the ending of the film that was chosen was very anticlimactic and disappointing. But other than that, it is a film that kept me guessing and that I without a doubt enjoyed watching.

Rated: R Running Time: 1h 59m

by Shirley Lorraine
Millie Musical a whiz-bang in Simi

For pure fun and entertainment presented with pep by top-notch performers, the musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie” now playing through October 21 at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center is highly recommended.

Studio C Performing Arts out of Westlake Village has put together an outstanding cast for the lively, toe-tapping 1920’s musical. Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan penned the book for the staging, adapting the original story and screenplay by Richard Morris. The staging includes a few minor variations on the 1967 film’s storyline as well as added songs and musical numbers.
Millie Dillmount (Colette Peters) arrives in New York City with hopes of finding a job and marrying her boss. The naïve girl from Kansas quickly finds the City less hospitable than she had figured. A chance meeting with Jimmy Smith (Nick Tubbs) directs her to the Priscilla Hotel run by Mrs. Meers (Stephanie Lesh-Farrell) which caters to hopeful actors usually down on their luck. Along the way Millie decides to become “a modern”, updating her look and finding a new best friend in Miss Dorothy Brown (Bryce Hamilton).

With her perky attitude and exceptional stenographer skills, Millie lands a job in an insurance agency. Her boss, Trevor Graydon (Brent Ramirez), a handsome, charismatic up and comer, meets her approval as a potential husband.

Meanwhile, back at the Hotel, orphaned girls are disappearing. Mrs. Meers, along with her henchmen, Ching Ho and Bun Foo, heads up a scheme to sell the hapless girls into slavery. Ho and Foo converse convincingly in their own language with English subtitles provided.
Jimmy introduces Millie to chanteuse and million-heiress Muzzie Van Hossmere (Monica Quinn). Jimmy and the gang ultimately squash the slavery ring, surprises are revealed, and true love is found.

There is not a weak member in this cast. The leading players all possess exceptional voices, beautifully displayed. Ramirez and Quinn particularly give standout performances. A memorable song paying homage to Gilbert and Sullivan’s Modern Major General carries a quickening tempo and impressive articulation. Everyone wears a headset mic which, combined with bundles of vocal power, reaches easily beyond the 12-piece orchestra led by Mazie Rudolph.

Lesh-Farrell plays it up as the villain and Ginny Grady is a hoot as Miss Flannery, the office manager. Laughs are generous throughout as the entire cast camps it up just enough without going overboard.

Director Jeffrey Scott Parsons keeps the action swift and the characters lively. Simple yet creative scene changes often happen as singing and dancing is taking place downstage. There is no down time waiting for scene changes. Period costuming is spot on and charming throughout.

Crisp, fun choreography by Keenon Hooks is tight and well executed, especially given the number of actors on the stage at once. One highlight is a scene at the insurance company involving steno desks on rollers. Both the male and female ensemble dancers make the choreography shine even more.

Thoroughly Modern Millie is just plain fun and extremely well done.

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, 3050 Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley. www.sime-arts.org or 805-583-7900. Tickets are $25, seniors and students $22 and kids 12 and under are $18. Curtain is at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. on Sunday through Oct. 21.

by Shirley Lorraine

Conejo cooks up Comedy Cacophony

For a high-spirited evening of fast-paced shenanigans, Is He Dead? now playing at Conejo Players Theater in Thousand Oaks, fills the bill.

America’s well-loved master storyteller, Mark Twain, offers the basis for this long-hidden work. Twain’s acumen as a playwright was the lesser of his talents, to his documented great disappointment. The work presented is minimally lifted by later adaptation by David Ives.

Written in 1898, the play is set in France 1846. The complicated and twisted plot mirrors some of the fun of its successful predecessor, “Charlie’s Aunt”, written in 1892. A popular style at the time was high farce employing many surprises, disguises and exaggerated characters. Is He Dead? uses these standard gimmicks and more.

The play is a classic melodrama typical of the time. A French artist, Jean-François Millet (Nicholas D. Johnson), finds himself unable to sell enough paintings to live comfortably. Following a visit from a prospective buyer, his friends Agamemnon “Chicago” Buckner (Nick Bemrose), Hans “Dutchy” Von Bismarck (Ezra Ells) and Phelim O’Shaughnessy (Robert Chambers) hatch a plot to declare the artist dead to elevate the value of his works. He wouldn’t be dead of course – he would pretend to be his sister, a widow, who would then reap the benefits of his new-found fame.

Chicago’s sweetheart, Cecile, played by Dawn Michelle and Jean-Franҫois’ paramour Marie, (Lauren Rachel), are appropriately devastated by the ruse that is kept secret from them. They befriend the “widow” causing much consternation throughout.

In the meantime, Bastien André (Kyle Johnson), in attempting to recoup a loan he made to the artist, falls hopelessly in love with the widow, as does the two girls’ father, Papa Leroux (Jim Seerden). Jean-Franҫois, now as the widow Daisy Tilou, must fend off both suitors.

Several of the actors fill several roles, adding to the frenetic action. Thomas Carbone embraces three quite different roles, for instance, all to exaggerated comic effect.

Erin Fagundes and Judy Diderrich portray Madames Bathilde and Caron, who hover sweetly and offer period atmosphere. Jeremy Zeller makes a brief appearance as the King of France. Of course, all is resolved in the end and the happy couples reunited.

The costumes are a highlight of this production. Obviously, much care went into their design and creation to carry the flavor of the piece. The setting produced awkward challenges for the lively foot action. I was confused by the “paintings” that appeared to be photographs on canvas. The second act with myriad doors for entrances and quick exits allowed more opportunity for freedom of movement.

Perhaps it reads better than it plays. The relentless overplay and shouting made it difficult for me to ferret the dialogue out of the din, thus losing some of what little of Twain’s signature humor is embedded in the piece. Several characters are written to use accents to help define their roles, adding to the listening challenge. Oddly, although set in France and featuring a French artist, that verbal touch seemed to be missing except as used lightly by Kyle Johnson as Mr. André.

Is He Dead? Continues through October 6. Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. www.conejoplayers.org or 805-495-3715 for tickets. Adults $18, Students, Seniors and Military $16.