Friends may test you, annoy you and anger you but at the end of the day, they're always there for you.
This theme lies at the heart of the 100 Mile Performing Arts Society's production of Four Old Broads premiering on Thursday, April 3 at Martin Exeter Hall. Director Patrick Aubert, along with his cast and crew, has put together a raunchy, lighthearted but also sweet tale of friendship, love and mystery at the Magnolia Place seniors home. It is a production sure to get a laugh out of mature audiences looking for a night of entertainment.
Four Old Broads is set in Georgia in 1992 in Magnolia Place and primarily follows four older women who are all residents of the seniors home. Former burlesque dancer and troublemaker Beatrice Shelton, her best friend the devote and nosy Eaddy Mae Clayton, forgetful newcomer Imogene Fletcher and the batty and death-obsessed Maude Jenkins.
The four women become embroiled in a mystery revolving around the callous head nurse Pat Jones as they try to plan a getaway cruise. They unravel this mystery with the help of former Elvis impersonator Sam Smith, all while the romance novel-obsessed nurse Ruby Sue Bennett looks on.
With a tight cast of only seven characters, each actor had to carry their weight and all of them were up to the task. Their dynamics and stage business were excellent, with the very way they sat and stood conveying information about the character.
Anchoring the show is the relationship between the lecherous and free-spirited Beatrice, played by Lisa Grey, and the pious but judgemental Eaddy, played by Regina Kaiser. Both Kaiser and Grey create a believable repertoire early on that provides a consistent throughline audiences will grasp onto.
Their realistic squabbles and shared stories make them feel like real people, if slightly over the top. Grey especially commits fully to her role as a crass and sharp-tongued retiree, while Kaiser provides the perfect straight woman to her antics with her bit of praying aloud never failing to bring a smile.
If their dynamic is the soul of the show, Faith Andre's Imogene Fletcher provides its heart. A newcomer to the stage, Andre puts in an impressive and nuanced performance with lots of passion, especially in her whirlwind romance with Shawn Nelson's Sam Smith. With a playful and randy charm, Nelson embodies the swagger of the King of Rock and Roll tempered with a genuine affection for Imogene.
Rounding out the seniors in Maude, brought to life by Margot Shaw who plays a crazy old lady perfectly. With great facial expressions and total commitment to her character, Shaw provides comic relief throughout the production, especially when discussing ways to punish her children at her funeral. The dynamic she establishes with Grey, Kaiser and Andre feels organic and you can watch their friendship grow throughout the play.
Every play needs an antagonist and Erin Filtness struts into that role with a smugly sinister grin as Pat Jones. Filtness does an excellent job playing a callous and scheming villain who leans more towards evil, and less towards genius. She's balanced out by the kindly nurse Ruby Sue portrayed by Brenda Vallee. With her nose buried in a book for most of the production, Vallee does an excellent job of emoting with her face and hinting at the hidden depths of her seemingly oblivious character.
From a production standpoint, Four Old Broads has a set that perfectly calls to mind the sleepy halls of a senior's home or assisted living facility. Set constructor Andrew Grey was able to bring to life the vision of set designers Aubert and Janet Dundas. It was well-lit by Dela Pinkston, the production's lightning manager, who ensured even during nighttime scenes the audience could follow what was happening.
One of the highlights of the show is without a doubt the many and varied costumes put together by costume manager Dundas and assistant costume manager Margaret Perry. The main characters change their look at least once during the night, with the titular Four Old Broads going through several elaborate getups. These costumes paired nicely with the makeup done by Jodie Dodd and the hairdressing of Melissa Gilbert who helped bring each character to life.
As a whole, barring a few slightly long scene changes, Four Old Broads is a well-paced entertaining production with a lot of heart. By the end, you see the power of friendship and community in a truly heartwarming way.
Four Old Broads is on stage April 3, 4, 5, 9, 10 and 11 with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and curtain at 7 p.m. Two matinee shows are also scheduled for April 6 and 12 with doors opening at 12:30 p.m. and curtain at 1 p.m. There will also be a special opening gala on Thursday, April 3 with doors opening at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $20 each and are on sale at Didi’s Boutique, Donex Pharmacy and Department Store and online at 100mileperformingarts.com.
