‘Clowns’ still good for 1,000 laughs

Tom Titus

Back in 1962, just before anti-establishment behavior came into

vogue, playwright Herb Gardner anticipated the movement with what

arguably is his finest, most perceptive work -- the offbeat comedy,

“A Thousand Clowns.”

This marvelous exercise in intellectual swordsmanship has been

lying dormant for the past two decades in local community theater

circles, but the Newport Theater Arts Center has resurrected it,

quirks and all, in a production that illustrates just how evergreen

this individualism vs. establishment script really is.

Gardner’s loquacious protagonist is one Murray Burns, an

unemployed, unmarried guardian of his 13-year-old nephew, a situation

that appears in immediate jeopardy when two child-welfare workers

investigate the conditions under which the boy is living. This sets

Murray off on a quixotic quest that inexorably leads to the job he

recently had left in disgust -- writing scripts for a terrible

children’s show that even the star’s own kids won’t watch.

Murray, etched memorably on celluloid by Jason Robards Jr., is one

of those wonderfully individualistic characters who cause actors to

salivate in anticipation of playing. His speeches are replete with

outrageous monologues, most beamed at the unseen neighbors outside

his New York apartment. The others are used as colorful exposition to

enlighten and entertain the visiting social workers, or the female

member of that tandem in particular.

At Newport, director Michael Ross has fashioned a sharp, sprightly

rendition of this still-unique adventure, drawing excellent

performances from his half-dozen cast members, particularly Scott

Ratner, who takes on the challenging role of Murray. Ratner may not

always be razor sharp in his delivery, but his interpretation is

scorching. His Marty Feldman-esque eyes enrich his characterization

considerably as he skewers the “haves” of society, even with the

realization that his actions may cost him custody of his nephew.

In Matthew P. Caulfield, Newport has found an ideal Nick, the

precocious youngster who idolizes Murray, while he persists in

pushing him to the brink of employment. Not every juvenile actor

could do justice to this layered role, but Caulfield projects this

youthful intellectual splendidly, without any surface “kid charm” or

affectations.

The rookie social worker, Sandra, who stays on to become Murray’s

love interest, is beautifully portrayed by Amber Holley, a lovely

young actress with cascading blond hair that should be spotlighted in

TV commercials. Holley inhabits her character with passionate zeal

and offers a convincing -- and hilarious -- crying jag that ignites

the sparks between herself and Murray.

There are three minor roles that become major accomplishments in

the Newport production. Darren Held as the uptight social worker is

highly effective at almost, but not quite controlling his frustration

and is superbly adept at talking through clenched teeth as he strives

to make his point to Murray and salvage his relationship with Sandra.

Nick Cook assumes the colorless character of Arnold, Murray’s

successful brother, with a patience bordering on the book of Job.

Cook delves deeply into his introverted personality in the second act

to demonstrate why Martin Balsam won an Oscar for playing this

character on the screen.

Finally, there is the TV star, Leo Herman, a.k.a. Chuckles the

Chipmunk, who implores Murray to return to his abandoned position as

the show’s writer. Peter Stone excels in this one-scene assignment as

he foists his neurotic video personality onto Murray and Nick and

devours the scenery in the process.

“A Thousand Clowns” is a tribute to the rugged individualist of

today (or yesterday; the play is more than 40 years old) who takes up

arms against the establishment at significant personal risk. Its

revival at the Newport Theater Arts Center is a glowing tribute to

its creator, who left us far too early last year.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Fridays.