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| Left to right: Cameron Wells, Kalina Venugopal, Michael Standifer, Nick Medal, Claire Parchem. Photo courtesy Santa Clara University. |
One might not think of the works of Anton Chekhov as being
rich material for comedy. However, the Russian author and playwright had a wit
that was sadly overshadowed by early dour productions of his work. In the 1970’s, Neil Simon adapted some of Chekhov’s short stories into The Good Doctor, effectively
Chekhov-turned-sketch-comedy. Santa Clara University’s current production,
helmed by director Aldo Billingslea, makes the Chekhov/Simon duet shine brightly.
Some of the scenes are straightforward: “Surgery” features a
vaudeville duo – an incompetent doctor (Drew Descourouez) and a priest with a
toothache (Elahdio Aliaga), while in “A Defenseless Creature,” a loud woman
(Kalina Venugopal) torments a bank manager and his assistant (Aliaga and
Descourouez again – all of the actors play a handful of characters). These
are scenarios common to old comedy, but Simon’s framing structure – using
a nameless writer (Cameron Wells) to open and close each scene – provides
a level of metahumor.
Later scenes have more complex structure and unusual jokes.
My personal favorite was the late scene “A Quiet War,” where Nick Medal and
Claire Parchem assume the roles of retired high officers who have a formal,
strategized argument over what makes the perfect lunch. Despite the characters’
similarities, the actors interpreted them differently: Medal’s Army officer is
loud and brash, while Parchem’s Navy is sly and willing to bend the rules of their
argument. They might be at each other’s throats, but one can get a sense of
their deep friendship.
The SCU production combines the sophistication of Chekhov’s
characters and scenarios with the fundamentals of mid-20th-century
comedy. Jerald Enos’ set hints at the more elaborate, realistic sets commonly
used for Chekhov’s plays, but all of the larger elements are moved to the back,
allowing ample room for Simonesque slapstick. Billingslea’s flexible direction
both makes use of the empty space for slapstick and what set elements exist for
scenes like “The Drowned Man”.
Featuring a funny, versatile cast and the unique combination
of Chekhov/Simon comedy, Santa Clara University’s The Good Doctor makes a great evening. Most likely, you will find
that some of the scenes are funnier or more appealing to you than others, but it’s
never a dull moment. This testifies to the wide diversity of the material, as
well as the breadth and imagination of the SCU production.
