Theater Reviews : Women ‘On the Verge’: Good as Their Words

COSTA MESA —  One of the reasons for the continuing success of Eric Overmyer’s “On the Verge,” both for audiences and for clearness of its text, is its fascination with words and, more specifically, wordplay.

Its simplistic fantasy--three 19th-Century female anthropologist explorers set out for an unknown land called “Terra Icognita” and find that it actually is the future--is slight enough to allow Overmyer’s verbal somersaults full rein.

At Orange Coast College’s Drama Lab, director Heather deMichele knows about this, and her three explorers keep the language forging ahead.

The only time the pace lags is when she makes too much of nonverbal staging, with her protagonists whacking through the bush for much too long and spending much too much time arranging and lighting candles.

Even the effective crossing of jungle gorges pales in its leisurely execution. At these times Overmyer’s imperative is forgotten, his poetry silenced.

At other times DeMichele manages to keep the words flying in fine fashion, allowing the action to underline the dialogue, particularly in the hectic second act. She and her actresses are well aware of the straight-faced sobriety with which such lines as “the jaundice of yellow journalism” must be tossed off.

Her three intrepid voyagers have the right feel for their Victorian origin. Kristina Leach as the starchy Mary, Bronwen Bitetti as the giddy Alex, who admits her obsession with words even though she often uses the wrong one and, particularly, Anna Fitzwater as the prim and naively romantic Fanny, are of the period. They easily make effective transitions into women who discover their true terra incognita--the 1955 future--where everything is more possible than it was 70 years earlier.

Van Messerschmitt is less effective his gallery of cartoon people the trio meets along the way, from a horny Yeti and a South African cannibal who ate a German balloonist. He’s most effective as Fanny’s gentle but colorless husband but usually overdoes his physical shtick to little purpose.

Robert Stayner’s lucid lighting design and Robert A. Williams Jr.’s excellent sound design nicely frame DeMichele’s mostly effective production.

* “On the Verge,” Drama Lab Studio, Orange Coast College, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m. Ends Sunday. $5. (714) 432-5932. Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes. Kristina Leach: Mary

Bronwen Bitetti: Alex

Anna Fitzwater: Fanny

Van Messerschmitt Alphonse, Grover, Yeti, Gorge Troll, Mr. Coffee, Mme. Nhu, Gus, Nicky

An Orange Coast College Repertory production of Eric Overmyer’s comedy. Directed by Heather deMichele. Lighting designer: Robert Stayner. Sound designer: Robert A. Williams Jr. Stage manager: Stuart Brenneman.