IAN “PJ” WILLIAMS is Edgar Allan Poe in Malcolm Cowler’s “Escape to Bedlam,” at the Orinda Community Center Park through Sept. 28.
Photos by Heidi Coed-Hermelin

Theater review by Elizabeth Warnimont
Special to The Herald

MALCOLM COWLER HAS BEEN A PART OF Orinda Starlight Village Players for several years, appearing in more than 30 productions and more recently trying his hand as director. Cowler is a natural in the director’s chair, as evidenced by the creative and gripping “And Then There Were None” from last summer. Cowler wrote and directed that play, adapted from the Agatha Christie tale of the same name. This month he has created an original piece, “Escape to Bedlam,” that incorporates three short stories by Edgar Allan Poe into one cohesive narrative, appearing on the Starlight stage now through Sept. 28.

“Bedlam” is structured around Poe’s “The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether,” in which the author, while traveling in southern France, decides to visit a local madhouse about which he has heard some intriguing rumors. In Cowler’s piece, two of the asylum staff relate stories from their own past during his visit, thus incorporating the two other classic Poe tales.

In the opening scene of “Bedlam,” Poe (Ian “PJ” Williams) arrives at the asylum with his newfound companion, James Moss (Al Guaraglia). At the debut Friday, Guaraglia seemed unsure of his lines and spoke too softly to be clearly heard, making the story difficult to latch onto. There may have been some lingering issues with sound, as the troupe has suffered long-term and intermittent loss of power at the site in recent months, and at least one important light source also seemed to be failing Friday.

JOHN CHAPIN as Alano De La Cruz in Malcolm Cowler’s “Escape to Bedlam,” at the Orinda Community Center Park through Sept. 28.

Director Cowler takes on the role of Bradley, a servant who offers Poe refreshments while he waits to see the proprietor of the house (Ken Sollazzo as Augustine Maillard). While they wait, Bradley begins to tell Poe about his aversion to cats, and the conversation segues into the second creepy Poe tale.

There are some new faces on the Starlight stage in “Bedlam,” including eighth-grader Isabella Hermelin as Betty Bullard and Williams as Poe. Hermelin is bright and graceful as the twirling inmate, and Williams delivers his lengthy lines without a hiccup. Starlight regulars Sollazzo, John Chapin (“Mr. De La Cruz”) and Claire Stevenson (“Eugenie”) add strength to the performance, artfully supporting the newcomers.

As he did in “And Then There Were None,” Cowler makes creative and effective use of light imagery throughout the production. Despite an important spotlight failure during Friday night’s performance, the visuals generally came together well. Lighting, use of space, scenery, costumes (Susan Chapple) and special effects together create a consistent feeling of restless anticipation.

Highlights Friday included the interplay between Poe (Williams) and Bradley (Cowler) as Poe responded to Bradley’s remarkable tale, growing more and more fearful as the story progressed; and John Chapin’s telling, as De La Cruz, of the even more remarkable tale of his torturous imprisonment during the Spanish Inquisition.

Fans of Poe will recognize the popular stories incorporated into Cowler’s “Bedlam.” In fact, even someone not familiar with the author might well recall hearing them somewhere before (think Alfred Hitchcock).

“Escape to Bedlam” makes for an enjoyable summer evening, set in the woodsy enclave of the Orinda Community Park stage. The Orinda Starlight Village Players is a group of volunteers with plenty of passion for theater, an abundance of talent and the ability to produce complete productions with limited resources. Go enjoy a casual night out, and show your support for this creative and dedicated troupe while experiencing a new and exciting piece of storytelling.

If You Go
“Escape to Bedlam” continues at the Outdoor Theater, Orinda Community Center Park, 28 Orinda Way, through Sept. 28. Tickets are $16 ($8 for seniors). For more information or to reserve tickets call 925-528-9225 or visit www.orsvp.org.

Elizabeth Warnimont is a freelance writer specializing in the performing arts. She is also a substitute teacher for the Benicia Unified School District.

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