Friday, October 13, 2000

NCT presents farce this weekend and next

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@thecitizennews.com

One can envision seedy misdoings in Paris.

It is the city of love and lust and people can easily get caught up in the passion of such a world class city. Such is the case of Mssr. Pinglet, a browbeaten husband who urges his pretty neighbor to seek ÒrevengeÓ on her neglectful husband by going to the Free Trade Hotel with him. As he points out, the place is so awful that no one will know they are there.

That is the just the beginning of Newnan Community TheatreÕs presentation of "A Little Hotel On The Side," by Georges Feydeau, starting next Friday.

Pinglet is, of course, wrong in his assumption. As the evening progresses, everyone the illicit couple knows shows up at the hotel and the two escape detection only by the skin of their teeth. The play is a pure farce. Feydeau once formulated a rule for farces, stating that whenever you have two characters who under no circumstances should meet, you must bring them together as soon as possible. A more recent example of this rule is the film "Fargo." Terrible things happen to the characters but it is of their own making.

"This is one of the funniest plays ever written," said NCTC artistic director Dale Lyles, who is directing this play as his 25th anniversary production. In 1975, it was the first play he directed, in a translation entitle "Hotel Paradiso." "I am glad to be returning to it as a way of celebrating the 25 wonderful years IÕve had in theater in Newnan," he said.

Newnan Community Theatre Company is making use of its new larger space staging the play. The play requires two sets. Pinglet's apartment in acts I and II and the disreputable Free Trade Hotel in act II, replete with slamming doors and stairways.

Performances are Oct. 13 - 28, at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 for seniors and students. For reservations, call 770-683-NCTC. For information on the theater, visit www.newnantheatre.com.

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