August 4, 2006
Warren Gerds
Green Bay Press-Gazette
3 stars (out of 4)
DE PERE — Kid-style fun is to be had in “Rumplestiltskin,” a new take on the old Brothers Grimm fairy tale presented as summer family fare by Venture Theatre.
The staging is creaky in scene changes, but puns, rhyming and comic bits give the tale spark.
All the Grimm basics are there: A spinning wheel, a girl, a lie that she can spin straw into gold and an imp who does the spinning — for a steep price.
The father in this version presses his “spinster” daughter to get married. She’s 18. He got married at age 6, after all. And he was old. His father was all for “4 and out the door.”
The father notes he has no money, being B-R-O-K. “You need an ‘e,’” says his daughter, Lily. “We can’t afford an ‘e,’” he says.
Silliness rolls on. It’s a trademark of Pat Quigley, who has written three shows for Venture Theatre. Again Kevin MacLeod adds music.
Directed by Peggy Eserkaln, the performances are spunky by Mike Lorenz as the father; Maribeth Weidner, Lily; Joe Abrahamson, King Rupert the Ordinary; Jared Knabenbauer, Page; and Nick Ludy, Rumple-stiltskin.
Clown moves, deadpan humor, flashing smiles and double takes are part of the action. The first performance Thursday morning also had inaction of forgetfulness.
Most fun: “Name That Imp,” a TV game show with Lily, the King and Page trying to guess Rumplestiltskin’s name.
A plus for this show is animation. Dan Ritter created a set of projections that brighten the action and atmosphere.
The play starts with the image of a book opening. We’re taken through a forest to a castle. Many more elements run through the show.
For the passage of time, the sun and moon sweep through the sky. Before the sun rises one morning, it pauses to brush its teeth.
Have Venture Theatre and Ritter struck on something? This cleverness is like weaving threads of gold.
“Rumplestiltskin”: 10:30 a.m. today, Aug. 10-11; 7 p.m. today, Aug. 11, 13; 10 a.m. Aug. 17 at Venture Theatre, 380 Main Ave., De Pere. $5. Sold out except for 7 p.m. Aug. 11, 13, 10 a.m. Aug. 17. Running time: 1 hour. (920) 983-0966.
