By Gerard Falco.
The Liar, is being presented by the Armonk Players at Whippoorwill Hall in Armonk, N.Y. through Saturday, December 9th. The play is an adaption of Pierre Corneille’s seventeenth-century comedy, Le Menteur, by renown American playwright David Ives. The Ives’ adaption is brilliant with rhymes and puns coming so fast it is almost hard to keep up. Under the direction of Pia Haas, the play is simple, creative and captivating. The theatre is comfortable; the sound and lighting is excellent and the set and costumes are simple and effective.
The plot twists and swirls. The play’s main antagonist Dorante can never tell the truth, and his servant Cliton can never lie. While visiting Paris, Dorante meets two attractive women and the crazy courtship begins. The lies pile up but so does the plot, leading to some very funny and enjoyable exchanges between the characters.
The play’s main antagonist Dorante (Justin Thomas) is played with confidence and flair. The same is true of Dorante’s servant Cliton (Daniel Basiletti). Their interplay, non-verbal gestures and timing is terrific, along the lines of Hope and Crosby. The two ladies that are the subjects of Dorante’s attention are Clarice (Rachel Schulte) and Lucrece (Alexandra Theoodoropoulos) who are appealing and convincing in their coquettish roles. Their evil twin servant Isabelle/Sabine (Julie Thaxter-Gourlay) steals one’s attention with regularity and the remainder of the cast is well served.
Well done and witty, to not see this show would be such a pity!