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The little brain takes charge at the Hilberry

By Robert W. Bethune

REVIEW:
'The Lusty and Comical History of Tom Jones'
Hilberry Theatre, Detroit. Plays in rotating repertory through Jan. 26, 2008. Tickets: $20-$30. For information: 313-577-2972 or http://www.hilberry.com
Take all the conventions of sentimental tragedy – illegitimate sons, arranged marriages, dictatorial fathers, lusty lower-class women, servant cupidity – and turn them upside down. The result is what Fielding did in the novel "Tom Jones," a wild and whacky social, romantic and sexual romp across the English city and countryside. And that's what you get in John Morrison's adaptation of the novel, now on stage under Lavinia Hart's direction at the Hilberry.
The convention that really gets turned upside-down is that one about the noble, though illegitimate youth who keeps himself pure for the unattainable woman he loves. Here, the noble young youth really and truly believes in his love for the unattainable woman, but nevertheless winds up in bed with just about every woman he meets, including…mustn't spoil the fun or the classical reference.
Poor Christopher Corporandy, as Tom Jones, and Morgan Chard, as Sophia, have to play the lovers. I say "poor them" only because all the really good laugh lines and business go to a huge array of character parts – everybody from Tom's father to Tom's father's dogs, and quite a bit of scenery and greenery as well. The greenery in particular draws attention; I've seen lusty lovers behind the hedges, but I've never seen the hedges enjoy it as they do here! Well, the poor leads, but that doesn't stop them from making Tom and Sophia charming and interesting young people, which is very important; without that, all the excellent broad comedy of the ensemble would be quite wasted.
A true ensemble it is. Hardly anybody plays only one part with 17 actors up there. It does backfire once; we have enjoyed so much of the scenery-chewing Mike Boynton does as the delightfully evil Mr. Bifil that when he appears briefly as a nameless member of the ensemble, he really sticks out. Never mind; the play rolls on regardless and so do we.
The very elegant set and lighting, by Larry Kaushansky and Kathleen Lamphear, contribute a great deal to the production, as does fine costuming by John Woodland. Hart uses the many doors of the set to create a constantly varied flow of action.
The play resorts to narration occasionally, but has a delightful way of poking fun at itself for doing so, particularly at the end, when the narration regrets to announce that although some of us may be all wound up for a first-rate tragic ending, alas, it is not to be: This is a comedy. Sorry!
There's a great deal of bawdy humor, some of it rather explicit. When a man covers his private parts with a hat, we are at one level; when he takes his hands off the hat and the hat stays put, hanging on his…well, that's another level, and a very funny one. Sexual energy, after all, is what makes this play run; it's the adventures of a man completely under the control of the little brain, which can only think about one thing!

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