20s roar again in ‘Boyfriend’

Tom Titus

“The Boyfriend,” Sandy Wilson’s 1954 sendup of the light-headed and

light-hearted musicals of the 1920s, is billed as a spoof of the

genre, but actually, as presented at Golden West College, it’s more

of an homage.

Immaculately staged and choreographed by Martie Ramm at Golden

West College, and visually nourished by the colorful costuming of

Robin S. Whitney, this featherweight musical is pure delightful

escapism. The show may have all the consistency of cotton candy, but

it’s a confection that goes down quite smoothly.

Under Ramm’s direction, this formulaic oldie works very well, but

it’s her choreography that merits the loudest applause. Production

numbers glitter with well-drilled precision, recalling Hollywood’s

bygone Busby Berkeley era, only set on this occasion at an exclusive

girls’ school in the south of France.

Wilson’s story line is a familiar artifice -- two young people

falling instantly in love, separating over the most specious plot

device, then reuniting for the finale. The catch here is, each is

heir to a fortune and neither wants to divulge this information to

the other for fear the romance would be based on the pocketbook

rather than the heart.

Erin Holt is radiant as the central figure Polly, oozing charm and

naivete as she awaits the appearance of a yet-unseen suitor, who

turns out to be a delivery boy (Mark Bedard), who in truth is just as

potentially well-heeled as she. Their romance blossoms rapidly but

chastely in the duet “I Could Be Happy With You.”

Shauna Wekall is a bundle of flirtatious energy as the second

banana in an appealing bunch, keeping a lusty suitor (Bryce Chaddick)

at bay, but it’s Charity Royanne as a Betty Boopish flapper who

really steals the show, particularly in her teasing number with a

dirty old married man (Ricky Nelson) who’s on the prowl while

attempting to avoid the shrill overtures of his wife (Sarah Heck).

The sympathetic school headmistress is elegantly interpreted by

Cecily Gish, especially in her scenes with Polly’s widowed father

(Dennis Cole), who turns out to be an old flame from World War I

days. Jaimie Clark projects a plausible French accent as the stern

but sultry school maid, Hortense.

Musical director Bruce Bales and the college orchestra keep the

tempo up and humming, and the eye-catching settings mark the return

of veteran set designer Wally Huntoon to Golden West College after a

quarter of a century. Leigh Allen’s lighting sets a bright,

attractive tone for the show.

“The Boyfriend” may be a bit of cotton candy as musicals go, but

it’s also as tasty as that carnival confection, with some bright,

imaginative choreography that will have the audiences fending off

more beach balls than they’ll encounter at an Angels game.