“˜Macbeth’ parody gives new spin to classic play
By Daily Bruin Staff
May 1, 2001 9:00 p.m.
 Courtesy of Ed Krieger Brendan Thomas
Dillon and Jerri Manthey star in "Lady
Macbeth gets a Divorce."
By Laura Morgan
Daily Bruin Contributor
For some people, having a rich uncle means great presents during
the holidays and secure business contacts.
Yet, for Freddie, a middle-aged entrepreneur in the production
“Lady Macbeth Gets a Divorce,” showing at the Beverly
Hills Playhouse through May 27, having a rich uncle means watching
this relative spend money on the latest girlfriend he picked up at
Frederick’s of Hollywood. But, things are about to
change.
“Lady Macbeth Gets a Divorce,” written by John
Menkes, illustrates the ups and (mostly) downs of a marital
relationship that is falling apart due to financial turmoil.
The play opens with Fiona, Freddie’s wife, reading books
on how to poison a person. From the looks of it, viewers might
think Fiona is out to get her husband. The audience learns,
however, that what she’s really disgruntled with is her
boring lifestyle. She wants to see Uncle Duncan dead so she and
Freddie can get their inheritance.
When Uncle Duncan visits the couple with his latest Hollywood
fling, Dilly, Fiona takes it into her own hands to conjure up a
Shepherd’s Pie containing homegrown, poisonous herbs, before
Duncan has a chance to marry Dilly and change his will.
The play’s storyline, which resembles Shakespeare’s
“Macbeth,” contains great dialogue and a fine cast of
characters, which alternates every other performance.
Suzan Crowley portrays Fiona effectively as a shrewd character.
The thought of spending her life in a pastoral New England village,
with a husband whose failed business ventures include both
collapsible hangers and biodegradable boxer shorts, has Fiona on
the verge of insanity.
Crowley’s interpretation of a wife with a husband who has
no future, is done superbly. Fiona’s fierce nature makes it
easy to see that she is capable of getting her way. Furthermore,
her convincing hospitality toward Uncle Duncan appears as if it
could cover up her guilt well, and pass the blame onto her nervous,
sweaty-palmed husband.
Robert Sherer does a great job playing Freddie, a man who has
absolutely no skills when it comes to business, yet who does not
hesitate to take another collateral on the house. Sherer’s
character adds an element of pathetic misfortune to production;
which can only be found in a man who has just learned of his
wife’s evil desires and at the same time still thinks
kangaroo burgers will be the next big thing.
Redmond Gleeson as Uncle Duncan, portrays a “sugar
daddy” who goes through girlfriends a third of his age
bi-monthly, and feels the need to run four to five miles a day. His
Rodeo Drive look and Scottish accent intimidate people around him
and create the comedic sense of a stingy Scot.
Finally there is Dilly, played by Jerri Manthey
(“Survivor: The Australian Outback”). Manthey plays a
picture-perfect girl who can’t wait to get into the movies.
Everything from her style to the way she pats the couch when she
wants someone to sit next to her, lend to a humorous and
stereotypical persona of what people on the East Coast might
imagine when they think of someone from Los Angeles.
The play contains both underlying and blatant humor. For
instance, everyone knows Uncle Duncan has come to visit, in part,
for Fiona’s acclaimed cooking and to make an announcement.
Fiona and Freddie think the announcement is going to be a marriage
proposal. Dilly, however, thinks the announcement is either going
to be about marriage or about her becoming a movie star.
In the end, the announcement does turn out to be about a movie,
but it’s not the kind of movie Dilly’s mother would
want to see.
The ending also contains a few plot twists. Unfortunately,
however, they are not completely unexpected.
Overall “Lady Macbeth Gets a Divorce” is a
well-written and well-acted comedy about money, power and ambition,
but the conclusion leaves a few unanswered questions since the play
seems to end in the middle of the story, without any closure.
THEATER: “Lady Macbeth Gets a
Divorce” plays at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, 254 S.
Robertson Blvd., through May 27. Performances are Friday and
Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. All tickets are
$20 and are available by calling (323) 655-TKTS.
