By David Norman
for TAGsgf.com
When I attended The Foreigner at Landers Theatre I really didn’t know what to expect.
I knew it was a comedy (score), and I knew Patrick Schuster was playing the lead role (double scoring bonus) and I knew that Beth Domann had directed it (high score).
I also knew that it involved pwning (slang for “owning”) the KKK (+99 STR), and had the equally hilarious and extravagant Susan Oakley and John Johnson in it (+15 XP).
BUT! But, Dear Readers, I never thought it would be so damn funny (BONUS LEVEL SCORING CHALLENGE!).
Before I really begin this, I have to say there are a few actors this past season who have really made an impression on me as an audience member. They take to the spotlight and shine over the crowd so flipping bright you become a like a sweet, innocent, little deer frozen on the middle of the theatrical highway, just staring into their light, oblivious to the fact that they’re about to drive into you at full speed with 2 ½ tons of unstoppable talent. To name a few, Todd Smith in Lend Me A Tenor, Mark Irish in Amadeus, and now, Patrick Schuster in The Foreigner.
If you’re unfamiliar with the general premise of Larry Shue’s The Foreigner, it’s a little ridiculous. There are two Englishmen: one, a Royal British Army officer, and the other, his buddy, Charlie Baker (Patrick Schuster) – an incredibly shy Brit who has a problem communicating with strangers – find themselves in rural Georgia at this fishing lodge while Staff Sergeant “Froggy” LeSueur (John Johnson) is a guest instructor for an explosives class at a nearby U.S. Army base. Anyway, Charlie is super shy so Froggy tells the owner of the lodge that he’s a “foreigner” from lands far, far away and that his English doesn’t work, if you get my drift. That way (or so the plan goes) he will not have to speak to anyone and no one will speak to him. But, as we all know, if such thing had happened and this guy merely spent a quiet, relaxing weekend in a dumpy fishing lodge, talking to no one and without incident, there wouldn’t be a point to me writing this column, right? Exactly. Instead, Froggy’s “plan” makes Schuster’s character privy to conversations between the other characters in the play because they all think he can’t speak English. Thus, hilarity ensues.
In retrospect, perhaps not all that ridiculous … but I’ve had better and easier experiences explaining a plot to you.
I’m not trying to swoon, but Schuster is what makes this performance of The Foreigner. He takes the ridiculous and fashions it into a form of physical comedy that could’ve easily fallen apart in the hands of someone less talented. Keep in mind Schuster isn’t speaking to the rest of the cast for a majority of the show. Therefore, visually, he has to work incredibly hard to keep the audience’s attention. His interaction with his cast mates relies on expression, gesture and movement that he also uses to interact with the crowd, every now and then you’ll get an Office-esque glance from Charlie Baker that screams, “Please, what the heck am I supposed to do now? I have a cup on my head and this redneck woman is screaming at me. Help.”
Jake Rogers, who plays Ellard, is a lot of fun to watch and really channels Schuster’s energy during their scenes together. The awkward, silly moments between them is awesome, and to watch Rogers go from a standoffish, ill-treated young man to a surprising hero at the end is a testament to his young talent because he knows how to evolve a character, not to mention it’ll be equally as awesome to watch Rogers grow into the seasoned actor that the SLT is so good at creating. Speaking of in-house players, Doug Cannon, your character, Owen Musser, was vile, mean, ugly and has completely ruined my image of you as Warbucks. YOU, SIR, ARE NOT A VILLAIN, but damn if you didn’t play one well.
Finally, we have a premiere and regrettable finale. Cheers to Ray Lampart as the devilish Reverend David Marshall Lee, your Southern drawl and first performance at the Landers had better not be your last; and though we must wave a heartfelt SGF goodbye to Cara Hampton – your characters over the past seasons, notably, Anna, Niki, and Lilly, thank you for the life you gave them and the stories they were able to tell us. Good luck in your future endeavors.
The Foreigner plays through the rest of this week, starting today (Wednesday, May 11). Sunday’s 2:30 p.m. matinee is the finale. Visit Springfield Little Theatre for ticket information.
Enjoy.
