Culture

Catch a play!!!

Scapin

Review by Noble Hughes

Author, animal lover, and self-proclaimed environmentalist

20th Century Paris, and adapted by Bill Irwin and Mark O'Donnell, now playing at the American Conservatory Theater, through October 23, 2010.

The play starts with the fathers, Geronte (father of Leander) and Argante (father of Octave) leaving the servants in charge: Scapin (Bill Irwin in the title role with is adorable baggy pants) responsible for Leander; Sylvestre (Mark O'Donnell, a hunk who has a fondness for mischief and mayhem) responsible for Octave.  When the fathers return, a helluva of confusion follows.  Why?

Leander falls madly in love with Zerbinette (Rene Augese), a gypsy who loves to laugh; Leander's father Geronte, is against the gypsy.

Octave (Gregory Wallace as the young man who's more in love with the role of being in love) already married to Hyacinth (Ashley Wickett), who is a foreigner, has been threaten by his father Argante, to be disowned.

The servants (Scapin and Sylvestre) make sure the two young lovers prevail.  And Scapin gets hitched with Nerine in the end.

For me, Scapin is a must-see play for its ticklish farce (It will make you giggle, chuckle or laugh out loud).

And with the absence of San Francisco's ever ubiquitous fog, it's a feat to mill around Union Square after the play.