Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto

Philip's Commentary On

Suds In Your Eye by Jack Kirkland

ACCENTS WANTED

Faith an’ begorra, but we’ll be wantin’ a lady wi’ a bit of the brogue to be readin’ the part o’ Mrs. Feely. Mrs. Rassmussen was born and bred in Denmark - Oof Dah!  Miss Tinkham speaks perfect English, and Chinatown speaks pure American, even ‘tho his skin is yellow.

When:  Monday, April 14 & Tuesday, April 22 at 7 pm
Where: Room 9
What: SUDS IN YOUR EYE by JACK KIRKLAND
Who: UUCPA Thespians
Why: To read a charming play about 3 ladies whose hearts are larger than their brains – or their pocket-books.

Mrs. F lives with her adopted “nephew” Chinatown in a dilapidated shack attached to the junkyard left her by her late husband.  She invites her old friend Mrs. R and her new friend Miss T to live with her – they can easily build an addition to her shack before dark.  There are complications, but the ladies are not fazed.

1.  Taxes of $106 on the junkyard are due in 6 days and they only have $90 in the money jug.  Let’s have a round of beer while we figure something out.

2.  Mrs. F assaults the tax collector and gets fined $90, payable immediately.  No problem; we have $90.  Taxes?  Well, we  have to solve this problem first.  Then we’ll have a round of beer and figure out how to pay the taxes.

3.  The money jug is stolen.  Now that’s a problem.  Let’s have some beer and think about it.

You get the idea.  Then, there is Mrs. F’s real nephew, Danny – a seaman in the US Navy.  Danny gets a couple of weeks leave every few months, comes home to his aunt, but spends most of  his time and money on the flashy Concita.  She’s faithful to him for those two weeks – but there are 52 weeks in a year.  Mrs. F thinks Danny should settle down with a “nice” girl; Mrs. R knows just the one – her Spanish teacher Kate; Mrs. F and Danny agree; Danny turns on his charm and ends up giving  her a ring on their first date.  Concita was expecting that ring and confronts Kate.  The engagement is off.  Then Danny charms her again and it’s on.  Then he says the wrong thing and it ‘s off.  You get the idea.

Fortune smiles in the final scene.  As the ladies are having a beer the money jug is returned, the engagement is on, and the ladies have just hit on a sure-fire scheme to get the rest of the money they need as the final curtain falls.

There are 23 characters in this delightful romp, but as soon as I have another beer I’m sure I can figure out how we can read it with a fraction of that, so pick your date and let me know (email thespians-info@uucpa.org or call me) or just show up at seven o’clock prompt and take your chances.  Irish, Norse, or English ladies will be particularly welcome.

Philip Hodge, Chair.