Fools is a funny, free and successful show

By Kensey King     4/21/11 7:00pm

Now that Beer Bike is over, Will Rice College can focus on other aspects of college life, like college theater. Its play selection, Fools by Neil Simon, makes the college look anything but foolish. With a small but strong cast, good set design and an amazing script, Fools is a huge success.

The play opens on Leon Tolchinsky, the narrator of the story, as he ventures into the village of Kulyenchikov for the first time. His duty there, as he informs the audience, is to be the new schoolteacher. His first encounter with the people of Kulyenchikov becomes very interesting, as a woman claims that her name is "Something Something Snetska." Soon after he arrives in Kulyenchikov, he learns that the whole town is cursed with ignorance. This curse provides the humor throughout the play, as the characters forget how to perform everyday tasks like opening doors. Tolchinsky considers leaving the town like all the schoolteachers before him until he meets the lovely Sophia Zubritsky, the beautiful daughter of the doctor who requested Tolchinsky's help. After some rather humorous exchanges between Tolchinsky and the townspeople, he decides to try to lift the curse and discovers that this is no easy task.

The cast is composed of only 11 Will Rice students. Casting for this show is perfect; every cast member gives a great performance. Carrying most of the lines, Will Rice junior Nicholas Riggall delivers the role of Tolchinsky with ease. Riggall's energy remains high through the whole show and is definitely a major contributor to this play's success. Tolchinsky's new muse, Sophia, played by Will Rice freshman Erica Johns, appears to be made for this role, as her ignorant but adorable mannerisms win over the audience's heart, leaving no question about why Tolchinsky would fall for such a girl. Even more adorable are Sophia's parents, Dr. and Mrs. Zubritsky. Will Rice freshman Gregory Perin and senior Meera Krishnan portray this lovable couple and come close to stealing the show, as they have some of the best comedic conversations in the play. Both Perin and Krishnan give a valiant effort to making Dr. and Mrs. Zubritsky feel like a real couple with an old-school Ricky and Lucy-type romance. Will Rice senior Jacob Pflug takes on the role of Count Yousekevitch, the evil man who lives in the big mansion on the top of the hill. Pflug captures the complexity of the Count, as he juggles the Count's ill-tempered manners with his deep desire to be accepted in society.

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Some of the funniest characters are actually the townspeople, as they go through their lives with a chronic case of stupidity. Snetska, Yenchna, Mishkin, the Magistrate and Slovitch are played by Will Rice senior Jenny Chan, junior Rosalie Berg, junor Daniel Podder, junior Geoffrey Holmes and Duncan College senior Nicolás Forero. All of the actors present their nonsensical characters effortlessly, and not one lurks behind the shadows of the bigger roles in the play.

 This production is held in Will Rice's commons, and it works rather well. The set is big enough to house all of the characters and is well-decorated and constructed. The little details that add to the decor and furniture make the setting of Ukraine believable. Costumes, designed by Will Rice junior Neel Shah and senior Amara DiFrancesco, are not elaborate, but they contribute to the ?small-town feel.

Overall, the play is a great success, and the director, Will Rice sophomore Mary Nelson, should be proud of her production. Neil Simon's writing along with the strong cast makes this production a Rice college theater must-see. The play is fairly short, free and is guaranteed to make you laugh: What more do you need?

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