Woody Allen comedy at Playreaders, July 06, 2007
azz: Portraits of the music

Theater

Playreaders presents Play It Again, Sam Wed & Thurs, July 11 & 12, 7:30pm St. Paul’s Church Cardo 6 10 pesos

In January of 1969 Play It Again, Sam opened on Broadway. Starring and written by Woody Allen, a relatively unknown stand-up comic and television writer with only one previous play, the play was labeled “hilarious” by critics and ran for nearly 500 performances. Along with Allen himself, Tony Roberts as Allan’s best friend Dick and Diane Keaton as Dick’s wife Linda were also in the cast. In 1972 the play was made into a movie, also with Allen, Keaton and Roberts, directed by Herbert Ross.

Woody’s character, Allan Felix, is a fanatical movie buff who has just been divorced by his wife after two years of marriage. He is totally depressed, so his married friends, Dick and Linda Christie, arrange dates for him with several eligible young women. His self-confidence is so weak that he tries to project a phony image and totally strikes out with all of them.

Linda goes out with Allan to help him meet women, and the two form a close relationship. In addition to the help from Linda, Allan has an outrageous recurring hallucination: Humphrey Bogart offering tips on how to succeed with the ladies. Eventually Allan discovers that there is one woman he’s himself with: Linda, his best friend’s wife. Should he kiss her? Can she be the love of his life? Can he betray his best friend? What would Bogart do? Needless to say, Allan struggles with these dilemmas as the comedy mounts.

Playreaders stages this classic comedy with an all-star San Miguel cast. The part of Allan Felix is being played by Henry Vermillion with Larry Gassler as his best friend Dick and Britt Zaist Vermillion as Dick’s wife Linda. All three are veterans of the San Miguel stage who have been delighting theater-goers for years. Bogart is played by John Wharton, who began acting as a teen, providing the voices for Japanese cartoon series in Tokyo. In the US, he appeared in several films, but realized acting makes a better hobby than profession, settling on a corporate career. In the last few years, he has returned to his passion and, in addition to being a regular on the San Miguel stage, is opening Shelter Theater, a cultural complex near Centro, which he hopes will serve as a magnet for avant-garde productions and films. 

The other women in Allan’s life are played by Anna Bensaud, Flor Dengreville, and, in her acting debut, San Miguel newcomer Andrea Thiessen. Dic Simandl handles the lights and sound.

Play It Again, Sam, directed by Gerry Camp, begins at 7:30 (or earlier if the house is full).