Out of Order Extra
By: Donna Maddamma
September 18, 2008
They will laugh all weekend seems to be the consensus of the cast of Runway's upcoming production Out of Order. If just the idea of a group of Texans speaking in British accents is not enough to start you chuckling then the story line will surely make you laugh out loud.
Take an unscrupulous politician, add a sweet but not so innocent typist, mix it with a variety of personalities from prudish and bossy to, shall we say, a little slow on the uptake, combine it with slap-stick comedy and you have the making of a fantastic farce – British style.
As a Junior Government Minister, Richard Willey is most people’s apperception of politicians. Although important to his party he quickly puts all reasonable thinking aside to steal a few secret hours with his mistress Jane Worthington, who just happens to be the typist for the counter party. “She’s the Monica Lewinsky of this play,” summed up Stephanie Seidler who plays Jane. “She’s star struck with his [Richard Willey] political power.” Seemingly one-step behind everyone; Jane manages to entangle herself with the upper crust of British high society for hilarious and disastrous results. Insanely jealous, her husband Ronnie, played by Matt Nugent, is determined to find out the truth of his wife’s dealing with the Minister. Unfortunately for Ronnie, he’s slower to catch on than his wife and finds himself constantly outwitted and in precarious situations. “I love that fact that he’s so determined,” said Matt.
Enter in a subplot of the Minister’s personal secretary George Pigdin played by Chris Jordan stepping way over the morality line and his mother’s misunderstandings. George is so loyal to his country and his job which is more like his purpose in life, that he gets taken advantage of by the Minister and thrown into the middle of the Minister’s lies and deception. Nurse Gladys, played by Monica Champagne is the nurse for George’s mother and these two somehow misunderstand that George is secretly married and the nurse takes it upon herself to be a detective and figure it all out for George’s mother. When all these characters and more including a piece of scenery with a mind of it’s own, all end up at the same hotel on the same day, the craziness is non-stop. The pace is so fast and the funny lines just keep coming. Miscommunication, misunderstandings, lies, manipulation, deceitful behavior, constant slap-stick comedy and throw in a dead body and you better hold onto your sides because they will be hurting from laughing the entire two hours. “The funny never stops,” states Chris Jordan. “Their time [the audience] is well worth it,” adds Monica Champagne [Nurse Gladys]. “Because they will have the laugh of their life.”
Rich Wiltshire directs this large cast through some hilarious stunts and mayhem. “It’s a good show, a real funny show,” commented Rich. “Each of them [the actors] do their own thing with their characters,” he added. “There are so many small pieces of it that they bring into the play.”
Out of Order hilariously fumbles its way across the Runway stage for three weekends, September 19th through October 5th. Friday and Saturday night’s doors open at 7:00PM, show time is 8:00 PM. Sunday doors open at 2:00PM show time is 3:00PM. Purchase tickets by clicking here or by calling 817-488-4842. Rated PG-13, please note strong sexual innuendoes and brief partial nudity.
