A CurtainUp Review 

The Harlequin Studies

The Harlequin has lineage. . .heritage. . .feeling 


From the moment he first pops out of the trunk that dominates much of
The Harlequin Studies, Bill Irwin proves that whether he's clad in his
trademark baggy pants or a Harlequin's diamond patterned costume, he
still lives up to his reputation as this decade's king of clowns. The
devilish grins and grimaces make it impossible for all but the most
dour curmudgeons not to smile, chuckle and often laugh out loud. The
body that wobbles like a not quite firm jello mold amazes. It looks
deceptively awkward but has all the grace and agility of Fred Astaire
without his tuxedo. This opening salvo of the Signature Theater
Company's Bill Irwin season showcases him not only as a gem of a clown
but as playwright and director. 

As a playwright Irwin has created something of an illustrated lesson
on the Harlequin tradition associated with the commedia dell'arte
theater. This lesson is introduced in a preamble in which Irwin and
musical director Doug Skinner share professorial duties -- Irwin
popping in and out of the trunk mimicing such Harlequin imitators as
Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, Skinner orchestrating the lesson on
a toy piano. Once the introduction establishing the Harlequin's
history as clown, acrobatic dancer and play character (most notably as
a comical servant) ends, Skinner is led to a Yamaha grand in the
curtained- off section where he spends the rest of the show with
percussionist Sean McMorris and violin/viola player David Gold.

Irwin being above all a physical performer, is a more visual than
verbal playwright. The segments that follow the preamble speak for
themselves, so that the lessons or "studies" are more like a picture
book than a text. The first segment titled "The Studies" consists of a
series of short and hilarious sketches or harlequinades showing the
Harlequin in a variety of roles. The second and somewhat too drawn-out
segment, which entails a complete change of scenery, is a tongue in
cheek, fully plotted commedia dell'arte drama entitled "Harlequin and
His Master Wed." Naturally, given the length of this entire
enterprise, this tale of a maiden about to be married off to an ugly
old man whose servant, the Harlequin, also lusts after her (a draped
hatrack deftly employed to express his yearning) progresses at
break-neck speed though this doesn't prevent it from including some
risqur. Paxton Whitehead, Rocco Sisto and Marin Ireland ably segue
between leading roles as master, villain and young damsel in the
longer piece as well as bit parts during the shorter vignettes. Rocco
Sisto has an especially hilarious turn in which, with the help of
Catherine Zuber's witty half man, half curly-haired woman outfit, he
changes sex simply by shifting from one side of the ever magical
trunk. Whitehead, a gifted comedian, is the ideal lecherous old
master. Steven T. Williams, John Oyzon and Andrew Pacho round out the
splendid cast as three acrobatic dancers or "Dream Harlequins." Their
energetic and graceful ballets do much to enhance the viewer's visual
pleasure. Bravo also to Douglas Stein for his airy set design, James
Vermeulen's lighting and all of Catherine Zuber costumes. 

It's nice to know that we can look forward to two more Irwin
offerings: a new version of his breakthrough 1982 piece, The Regard
Evening and Mr. Fox: a Rumination, a play about America's first
celebrity clown, George L. Fox. After trying his hand, and quite
successfully so, in a straight acting role (as the troubled husband in
Edward Albee's The Goat), it's good to have Irwin the clown back to
make us all appreciate what great fun really great clowning can be. 



Harlequin Studies 
Writer, director and harlequin: Bill Irwin

Cast: Marin Ireland (girl, ensemble), Bill Irwin (harlequin), John
Oyzon (Acrobat, ensemble), Andrew Pacho (Acrobat, ensemble), Rocco
Sisto (The Captain), Doug Skinner (Composer, musical director,
ensemble), Paxton Whitehead (Pantalone, ensemble), Steven T. Williams
(Acrobat, ensemble)
Set Design: Douglas Stein 
Costume Design: Catherine Zuber 
Lighting Design: James Vermeulen 
Sound Design: Brett R. Jarvis
Acrobatics: Lorenzo Pisoni 
Musicians: Doug Skinner, piano; David Gold, violin/viola; Sean
McMorris, percussions
Running time: 75 minutes, without intermission 
Signature Theatre, 555 W. 42ndSt (10th/ 1th Aves) 212
244-7529. www.signaturetheatre.org 
9/03/03 through 10/26/03--extended through 11/09; opening 9/21/03
Wed to Sat @8pm, Sat @ 3pm -- $55, patrons under 18 $35
Reviewed by Elyse Sommer based on September 20th matinee press performance