The Rivercity Players don’t exactly bare all in their current stage production. But they certainly get to the bottom of things in Nana’s Naughty Knickers, a saucy, two-act comedy continuing through Feb. 21 on the Rivercity Stage.
The story takes place in the Manhattan apartment of the widow Sylvia Charles (Judith McFarlane), whose granddaughter Bridget (Elizabeth Crum) comes to stay for a summer while preparing to enter law school.
But Bridget’s adherence to the law is put to the test when nana — and her apartment — prove to conceal secrets that may not be, strictly speaking, legal.
Playwright Katherine DiSavino populates the story with the classic elements of a stage comedy: quirky characters, mistaken identity, misunderstanding and a dash of mystery to be revealed at the end of the show. A cliffhanger ending to the first act sends the audience into intermission.
The Rivercity Players cast, a mix of stage veterans and newcomers, pulls it all off with aplomb and what seems to be a genuine camaraderie.
McFarlane, Crum and Carol Lang, who play’s Sylvia’s longtime and hearing-challenged friend, Vera Walker, carry the bulk of the action and dialogue, particularly in the first act. The three provide rapid repartee as Sylvia’s secret begins to unravel, with Lang snapping off most of the laugh lines that result from her inability to follow the discussion.
Chris Boldt makes his first stage appearance as an affable rookie cop who says he was nicknamed “Eagle Eye” by his fellow cadets, but who seems to have eyes only for Bridget while oblivious to clues that litter the room.
Sandi Loomis gives a remarkable performance as Sylvia’s indignant, caustic landlord, Gill Schmidt, not least because she plays Schmidt as a man.
Frank Black carries a pair of smaller roles in unique fashion, with a speaking part off-stage and a silent one on it with UPS delivery partner Sean Marechal.
Two more newcomers, Alana Jorgensen and Patricia Gagnon, step into the scene as it becomes more populated and chaotic in the second act, and hold their own quite nicely.
While the scene never changes, the set is anything but static. The set crew deserves credit for some creative work here. Credit is due as well to director Linda VonZuben, who pulls all the divergent elements and players together.
Nana’s Naughty Knickers wraps up this week, with shows Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 7 p.m. at the theatre, in the Nelson-Woodrow building at 1080 Hemlock. For tickets and info, call 250-914-0419 or email rivercityp@gmail.com. More at www.rivercityplayers.ca.
