YOUNGSTOWN PLAYHOUSE Bedroom farce is a laugh a second

The play doesn't have much of a plot, but it's full of slapstick comedy.
By L. CROW
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- Roars of laughter were heard coming from the Youngstown Playhouse this weekend at the opening of its latest comedy, "Move Over, Mrs. Markham." Brilliantly directed by Bob Gray, this fast-paced bedroom farce is filled with innuendoes, mistaken identities and total mayhem.
Two-and-a-half hours flew by as we watched the Markhams' apartment become Grant Central Station for people who thought they were going to sneak a quick snuggle in that big oval bed with someone who wasn't their spouse.
Joanna and Philip Markham (Molly Galano and Terry Shears) are two ordinary people -- he's the junior partner in a company that publishes children's books, and she's a housewife who is having the apartment re-done by the interior decorator, Alistair (Roger Gaskins), who is having a liaison with the Swiss maid, Sylvie (Jennifer Kuczek).
Meanwhile Linda (Dana Dunnavant) wants to have an affair with Walter (Bill Rees), and her husband, Henry (Bob Kozar), the senior partner in the publishing firm, wants to have an affair with anything wearing a skirt, but this time, it's the AT & amp;T operator, Miss Wilkinson (Michelene Pancoe).
Complications
And they all plan to do it, unbeknownst to each other, at the same time on the same night, in the same place.
To make matters worse, Philip is convinced that Joanna is having an affair with Alistair. And Alistair thinks Henry and Philip are lovers. Whew!
Just when Joanna thinks she's got it all under control, Miss Smythe (Paula Strobel) shows up, the famous author of children's books, whose characters are all doggie-woggies, wanting to sign a contract worth millions because her last publisher started publishing porn. She is a stuffy old spinster who thinks there is way too much sex going on in the world. It is up to Joanna to cover up all this hanky-panky.
This is one of those hysterically funny slapstick plays that doesn't have much of a plot, but the humor is in the outrageous situation. Works like this are a real challenge because they rely on the perfect timing of every little detail. This all-star cast came through with flying colors!
What's priceless
Their facial expressions were priceless, especially the frequent dumfounded looks of confusion, which lingered, frozen upon the players' faces to allow time for the audience to explode in fits of laughter and fully savor each moment of delicious chaos. Our brains went into high gear, adjusting to the barrage of visual commotion, including people running around in their nighties (or less!).
There was also a lot of "goosing" going on, usually accompanied by a short whistle. Everything comes to calamity, as they all wind up together in the same room.
By this time, Joanna has renamed everyone in her frantic attempt to explain the strange goings-on in their apartment and still get Miss Smythe to sign the contract. But it all works out in the end, and everybody gets what he really wants.
Adding to the visual fun was the spectacular set, designed by Paul Kimpel. Built to look like a very chic New York apartment, with the walls painted in bright colors to resemble speckled wall paper and modern art, including one that could very well be a Jackson Pollock.
XThe play runs through March 19, Friday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. For more information, call (330) 788-8739.