SCREWBALL COMEDY by Carol Kaufman Segal

            Screwball Comedy, by Canada’s favorite playwright, Norm Foster, is Theater 40’s first production of its 53^rd season and the premiere showing of the play in the United States.  After seeing this delightful comedy, I am confident it will make the rounds throughout the country.          

            The time is 1938 in the office of newspaper editor Bosco Godfrey (Daniel Leslie) when Jonesy (Gail Johnston), his secretary, informs him that Mary Hayes (Kate Whitney) wishes to see him.  Mary has been terminated from a department store where she sold perfume, and asks Bosco for a job as a reporter, something that has long been her dream.  Why does she believe she has the makings of a reporter without any experience?

            Bosco had received a request from Dolores Diddle (Sharron Shayne), the wealthy owner of the newspaper, to send a reporter to her home in order find out any information regarding the woman who her son, Chauncy (Niko Boles), plans to marry.  Chauncy is a very gullible young man and she is certain the woman, Gloria (Jean Mackie) is simply a gold digger.    

            Bosco has been a bit unhappy with the work of his star reporter, Jeff Kinkaid (Lane Compton) so he decides to make a deal to send both Mary and Jeff to the home of the Diddles and get the scoop on Gloria.  If Jeff, the arrogant reporter, writes the best story, he will keep his job.  But if Mary’s story beats his, her dream will come true, and she will replace Jeff as the star reporter at the paper.

            Mary and Jeff arrive at the Diddles’ home as adversaries and they are greeted by Reginald, the butler (David Hunt Stafford), whose character adds superb comedy throughout).  When Dolores greet them, they discover she is also planning a wedding to marry an old acquaintance, Peter Terwilliger (George Villas).  Mary interviews Chauncy and realizes he isn’t as dense as he pretends to be around his mother.  Jeff interviews Gloria, but so far, no clue.  In the meantime, both Jeff and Mary seem to fall for each other, and in the end when the real problems in the Diddles’ household are solved, they are madly in love with each other!  But getting to that stage throughout the play is where the comedy persists.

            The entire cast is superb under the very fine direction by Howard Storm.  Jeff G. Rack designed a perfect set that works both as a set for the newspaper office and then blends into the beautiful home of the Diddles.  Each actor is so very perfectly cast in his/her role, and the laughter hardly lets up throughout the entire play.

            Screwball Comedy plays Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 PM, Sundays at 2 PM, through August 19, at Theatre 40 in the Reuben Cordova Theatre, 241 S. Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills.  Reservations are available online at www.theatre40.org, or by calling (310) 364-0535.

            HIGHLY RECOMMENDED