Wicked Local Walpole
  • Theater Review: 'Rich Girl' could use a richer script

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  • Victoria Stewart hit on a clever idea for a new play when she decided to give a contemporary, feminine twist to Henry James 1880 novel "Washington Square" and its 1947 stage adaptation "The Heiress." Although there are enjoyable moments, clever isn't enough, especially when it comes to keeping a theater audience fully engaged and satisfied.
    Stewart's "Rich Girl," which is being given its New England premiere by the Lyric Stage Company of Boston with Courtney O'Connor at the helm, isn't able to show us much that we don't already know about human nature or that isn't fairly obvious. And so the twists and turns of the plot begin to lose their hold on us as we realize there isn't enough depth to the characters or surprises in how they respond to their situations.
    Eve (Amelia Broom), a wealthy money guru who's published successful books and has her own television show, has little respect or love for her daughter Claudine (Sasha Castroverde), whom she's hired for a mere $18,000 a year to be an assistant in her foundation. Claudine is so awkward and unsure of herself that she would just as soon remain an intern there forever, even though her mother is grooming her to take over the foundation some day.
    Things begin to change for Claudine when Henry (Joe Short) a former classmate at Andover, meets with her to apply for a grant from the foundation for his struggling theater company. When he quickly sees that there's no chance for financial support, he gracefully withdraws but not without first inviting her to the company's show. He's soon treating her with an appreciation and tenderness that no man has before.
    One of "Rich Girl's" more satisfying elements is watching Claudine bloom under Henry's attention and what feels like, to some extent, genuine love for her, while knowing that his skillfully hidden avarice will eventually be revealed. Perhaps the appeal of these scenes is that even faked love feels better than Eve's calculating, cold treatment of her daughter. And there's some pleasure in entering Claudine's dream world with her. Both Castroverde and Short are at their best in these scenes bringing the greatest dimension to their roles as her character blossoms and his does a bang-up job of pretending love.
    In the middle of all this, Eve's executive assistant, Maggie (Celeste Oliva) encourages Claudine to embrace the relationship and make something of it. Towards the end of the play, she asks if pretend love isn't better than no love. Oliva brings a crackle and snap to the production that's very much needed. She's an actress who can go from zero to 60 mph in a couple of seconds flat in a very appealing way. And she can do it when the script doesn't give her much support. But even so one misses the depth she can create with a richer script.
    Page 2 of 2 - Broom brings a chic elegance and a tough-as-nails quality to Eve. It's certainly what the character calls for, but it's a thin veneer that doesn't offer enough. Superficial characters are never easy to play in a satisfying or meaningful way.
    Eve sees right through Henry's attraction to her daughter and is determined to derail their engagement and their plans for a quick wedding by hiring a private investigator to look into his life and by offering her daughter a trip she's long wanted to Africa.
    None of the actors are at their most interesting or appealing when they are the toughest. Henry really lets Eve have it in a nasty way after having been so tender with her daughter.
    An almost intimate scene between Henry and Maggie while mother and daughter are in Africa seems rather unbelievable. Oliva does a good job of playing it drunk.
    After mother and daughter return from Africa, the plot spirals in ways that aren't totally surprising.
    Set designer Brynna Bloomfield has done a skillful job of creating Eve's posh apartment with wood doors and five rectangular windows set in each, a black tile floor with diamond-shaped white tiles, and two beautiful paintings high on the walls.
    The director and cast make a noble effort, but unfortunately there isn't enough to work with in "Rich Girl."
    "Rich Girl"
    WHEN: Through April 26
    WHERE: Lyric Stage Company of Boston, 140 Clarendon St., Boston
    TICKETS: $25 to $61
    INFO: 617-585-5678; www.lyricstge.com
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